AIR SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22694, 5 April 1937, Page 9

AIR SERVICES

TASMAN LINK DELAY ANTICIPATED ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN DETAIDS TO BE SETTLED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 4, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 4 The Sunday Sun's Melbourne correspondent says Australia may have to wait .until the inauguration of the Empire flying-boat service next year before the transtasman service is begun. An agreement between the British, Australian and New Zealand Governments at the Imperial Conference on the operation principles of the service will not mean that Australia and New Zealand will obtain the early mail link with America which was expected. Almost certainly the British attitude will be that the Tasman crossing is merely one stage of the proposed British air line across the Pacific to be inaugurated at a future date.

Britain is concerned with _ the South-ampton-Sydney flying-boat route and is not likely to do anything ajbout running to New Zealand before that is accomplished. That may not be for months after tho Americans begin the regular service to Auckland.

The Canberra correspondent jof the Sydney Morning Herald says a sjurvey of the air route to expedite the British transpacific service to link up with the proposed transtasman service is expected after the Imperial Conference.

This, the writer states, is an attempt to check the threat to British air prestige in the Pacific provided by the survey of the Pan-American Airways: Clipper and American plans for the Pacific service.

In the meantime, the decision of the New Zealand Government to co-operate in the plans of Pan-American Airways for the establishment of an air mail service between North America and New Zealand has introduced an embarrassing element. There is a possibility that the American-controlled link will be in operation long before the projected Imperial air service across the Pacific.