THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1935 PACIFIC AIR SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22224, 26 September 1935, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1935 PACIFIC AIR SERVICE

The possibility that within a year Pan-American Airways will be operating a transpacific service bringing Auckland within three days' flying of San Francisco and four days' of New York opens an arresting prospect. It represents a move so ambitious in 'scope and so drastic in economy of transport time as to be quite unprecedented in the history of New Zealand. For a moment its

significance the annihilation of great ocean distances and the end of insular isolation—is not easily grasped. But .when, in a flash of revelation, the meaning is taken, New Zealand's reaction should be to do everything she can to forward, encourage and 'speed the new enterprise. As a remote country, New Zealand cannot afford to ignore any promising channel for the improvement of her communications with the world outside. In this case she is offered a service by one of the. world's greatest, most responsible and substantial air lines, which has already joined North and South America by a network of services and is now busy organising the route from North America to Asia. At the same time survey ships are plotting what the Americans call the Antipodes route, leading down from Honolulu by way of Fanning Island to Samoa and New Zealand. This Dominion should appreciate the enterprise of Pan-American Airways in pushing beyond its own territorial limit at Pago Pago to include New Zealand at Auckland. Too often in the past the Dominion has found herself left on one side and has pressed, not always successfully, for inclusion. The present proposal draws her into the world circle, promises to end her isolation within the twelvemonth and, apart from conferring the freedom of the globe on her, will put her higher on the world's visiting list than she ever was before. The process will be completed a few months later when, in 1937, Imperial Airways inaugurates its eight-day service from London via Sydney. The question arises whether the American project will conflict with the Imperial service, to which the New Zealand Government has already pledged its support. To a limited extent the two routes will be competitive—probably not in a destructive sense but rather in a way that should keep each on its mettle and contribute to the efficiency of both. It seems hardly likely that the American route will be able to attract much mail for Britain against the rate of lsd to be charged by the Imperial service. In that case the two routes, with the point of junction at Auckland, should prove complementary to a large extent, feeding each other with an appreciable amount of through passenger traffic. The transpacific service will in addition provide air connections for New Zealand mails, passengers and luxury cargo that cannot be given by the Imperial route. Of national importance will be the oneday communication established between New Zealand and her mandated territory in Samoa. Moreover, next to Britain and Australia, most of New Zealand's interests lie with Canada and the United States and these will be infinitely better served in point of time by air than by the present shipping services, good as they are. The Pacific crossing will be reckoned in hours instead of days. At Honolulu connection can be made by air for Hongkong and the Far East generally, bringing the Orient within four or five days of Auckland and providing alternative routes, via India or Siberia, to Europt. From San Francisco all the principal points on the American Continent can be reached by air in a matter of hours or a few days, whether the destination be Alaska, Montreal, New York, Buenos Aires or Chile. And from South America frequent services make connection with Africa and Europe. The one important break in the vast network over the globe is the North Atlantic crossing. That will come, maybe within a year or two, and in the meanwhile Auckland finds herself an important link in the existing intricate chain of connections. The fact Bhould make Aucklanders take out their maps again and reflect on the strategic point they occupy in the Pacific Ocean, itself a large part of the globe. That reflection should prompt them to think on what they and the Government can do to transform a marvellous prospect into a weekly reality at the earliest possible moment. The first thing is that the proposals of Pan-American Airways should be forwarded in every legitimate way. A service is offered that otherwise might not be available for years, and one backed by experience and perfected organisation. Auckland, as the terminus and New Zealand port, should encourage the realisation of the scheme by offering every reasonable local facility. Similarly the official paths in Wellington •should be made easy. Apparently, however, the Government has found reasons restraining it from closing upon this most attractive proposition. What is holding it back? From Wellington reports, it can be gathered that the British Government and the Empire generally are unwilling that landing privileges should be granted by New Zealand unless America concedes Imperial air organisations similar privileges in American territories. In effect, it 'seems the New Zealand concession is being used as a pawn in an attempt to obtain the grant of important privileges from the American Government. Such an attitude could be approved if it were likely to prove effective, if, in other words, the New Zealand concession were vital to PanAmerican Airways. Unfortunately that is not so. The New Zealand connection is being made merely as an extension of the Antipodean route beyond Pago Pago. If New Zealand, prompted by Britain, de-

mantis so high a price for the privilege, the scheme may be dropped, an alternative one may be adopted, and the Dominion left without a transpacific air service and all the benefits it would confer. She would have sacrificed herself to no purpose. If Britain and the Empire want a strong and sure lever with which to prise concessions out of Washington, they will not find it in this New Zealand scheme. They must discover other point 3 vital to a particular service and actually they possess one in Bermuda, on the proposed transatlantic route of Pan-American Airway b, the most important route of all. That should prove a stout enough lever for the business. But it would be a tactical mistake to rest anything on the New Zealand concession. It cannot carry the weight of Anglo-American bargaining and would break off uselessly, leaving Auckland and New Zealand lamenting a missed opportunity. ,