TASMAN AIR TERMINAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23394, 10 July 1939, Page 8

TASMAN AIR TERMINAL

No high opinion can bo formed of the sense of responsibility possessed by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce in continuing to press Wellington's claim to be the terminal of the Tasman air service. Safety must be the first consideration in organising such a service and on this primary ground the choice has fallen on Auckland and, just as decisively, away from Wellington. At an earlier stage Wellington suspected, for reasons best known to itself, that such would be the decision and persuaded the Government to institute an inquiry by experts into the suitability of Port Nicholson. The personnel of the committee should have been weighty enough to satisfy anyone and its rejection of Wellington's claims was conclusive. It considered the physical features of Wellington harbour, the meteorological data, and the development of flying-boats, and decided that it would be unwise at present to attempt the regular operation of llying-boats from that centre. The only possible mooring site was shown to be subject to winds of high velocity and rapid change, representing a danger to.aircraft at these moorings. The risk would also be incurred after alighting. In face of all this and much more, what can be said of the attitude of the Wellington Chamber as published this morning? It is asserting its unsupported opinion against tho ascertained facts, regardless of the human lives that would bo risked and the safety and success of a service that is the last link of an Empire chain, on whose strength and reliability a great deal dependj. Parochialism could scarcely go further than this. Wellington's situation at the geographical centre is freely admitted, but the difference, as between Auckland and Wellington, of two hours in distributing time for southern centres is small. Even if it were much greater it could not be allowed to prejudice tho safety factor, which is paramount^