FUTURE AIR MAILS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22539, 2 October 1936, Page 12

FUTURE AIR MAILS

DISCUSSION OP PLANS SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS SERVICE ACROSS TASMAN [BY TEIjF.GRAm —SPKCIAL ukpohtkr] WE LLIN(JTON, Thursday Swlistnutial progress has been made during the last low days in tho discussions between New Zealand, Australian and British representatives regarding Empire air mails, and the proposed operation at an early date of an air service across the Tasman. The discussions have been proceeding in camera, but it is expected that finality oil a number of important matters will bo reached to-morrow morning before tho Australian delegation, headed by the Commonwealth Minister of Defence, Sir Archdale Parkhill, leaves by the Awatea in the afternoon.

It is suggested that plans have been completed at tho conference for tho establishment of a living-boat service across the Tasman, and that difficulties in connection with tho Empire air mail service have to a large extent been removed. However, finality has not been reached and, even if the conference reaches agreements on important matters, the decisions will have to be considered in detail and ratified by the Governments concerned. The termination of the conference tomorrow will bring to a closo only one part of the aviation discussions as far as Now Zealand is concerned. Mr. F. G. L. Bortram, Deputy-Director of Civil Aviation in tho British Ministry, who has been representing tho British Government at tho conference, will remain in New Zealand to make investigations and advise tho Government on various aspects of commercial air services within the Dominion. It is understood that Mr. Bortram will travel extensively in the Dominion in order to obtain a first-hand knowledge of local conditions. GOVERNMENT LUNCHEON PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS [by TELECRArn —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Thursday At a complimentary luncheon to the Australian and British delegations attending the aviation and air mail discussions, tendered by tho New Zealand Government, tho Prime Ministor, tho Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, said that, whatever the difficulties they might have to discuss, they could not overlook the outstanding fact that they were part and parcel of the samo race. Mr. Savage visualised tho time in the near future when tho British Commonwealth of Nations would bo bigger and closor together than it was to-day. Up to tho present he was afaid that they had drifted along without realising the big problems round them, but to-day they were discussing matters that concerned tho whole of the British race, and the whole of the civilised world.

The Commonwealth Minister of Defence, Sir Archdale Parkhill, in reply, spoke of tho friendship between New Zealand and Australia. Anything that could bo done to establish closer contact between the two countries, he said, should bo welcomed. It was imperative that the two Dominions should he as closely allied as possible, at the same time, of course, preserving their own identities.

Mr. F. G. L. Bertram, on bohalf of Britain, also returned thanks. His trip out to New Zealand, he said, had made him realise what a big place the Empire was, and he saw the value of regular commercial air services in bringing the parts of the Kmpire together. He hoped that on his next visit ho would bo ablo to cross tho Tasman also by air.