THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1939 WINGS OVER OCEANS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23413, 1 August 1939, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1939 WINGS OVER OCEANS

After more than three years, marked by unexpected delays, disappointments and even tragedy, the commercial air service across the Pacific now appears to be within reasonable sight of accomplishment." Pan American Airways, whose earlier survey flights were interrupted by the tragic loss of the Samoan Clipper last year, has its new giant flying-boat standing by, ready to wing its way southward over tropic seas from San Francisco to Auckland. Only the formal approval of the United States Government is awaited and, since' improvements have been made both in the route and in the type of aircraft to be employed, it is not likely that the official permit for the service will be withheld. The early discussions regarding the service were held between Mr. Harold Gatty, representing Pan American Airways, and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, then Minister of Transport in the Dominion, and the original agreement was signed by Mr. Coates on the eve of the 1935 general election. The project was in no way endangered by the change of Government that followed. Industrial troubles in the United States were responsible for some delay to the company's plans, while the New Zealand' Government, for its part, raised certain questions rega.rding the granting of reciprocal landing rights. All these difficulties were overcome, however, and in 1937, Aucklanders witnessed the triumphant arrival of a graceful clipper of the skies after a pioneer survey flight over the Pacific route. A second survey followed at the end of that year, but it was in the first southward flight of the commercial service early last year that the Clipper crashed off American Samoa, with a tragic loss of gallant lives. But the courage of the company was not shaken by misfortune and soon a mightier ship will be roaring over the Pacific. With the resumption of the service the new Boeing flying-boat, twice the size of the Samoan Clipper, will fly over a new route. The stopping places at Kingman Beef and Pago Pago are to be omitted, but on her journey from San Francisco to Honolulu the new craft will call at Los Angeles, while the flight from Honolulu to Auckland will be made via Canton Island and New Caledonia. Surveys of the route will be necessary to test actual flying conditions, but thereafter a fortnightly service will be maintained. The Dominion will then emerge from her isolation and, with the Empire and Pan American services junctioning at Auckland, communication with the great centres of the world will be a matter of days instead of weeks. It is to be noted that, in announcing his company's plans, Mr. Gatty has stated that Pan American Airways is looking forward to the inauguration of the Tasman service, which will provide "a through service from the United States, by way of Auckland, to Australia, thus covex'ing the whole of the South Pacific area." This expression of goodwill is most welcome. It is an indication that the two services will be operated in close harmony and an overture, perhaps, to even closer co-operation in the future. Even if the survey flights over tho new South Pacific route were to be started almost immediately, it would probably be a month at least before the commercial service could be inaugurated. By that time the Tasman service should be in operation, with bi-weekly flights between Sydney and Auckland, so that no delay is likely to be experienced in the provision of through connections by air to Australia.

The Pan American enterprise, however, cannot be regarded as the last word in the development of commercial aviation in the Pacific. Great Britain has already declared her interest in this area and, after the forging of the Tasiman link in tho existing Empire chain, she proposes to send her flying-boats northward from Auckland to Suva and ultimately to Vancouver. There they will connect with the transCanadian airways, already in operation, while the Empire service between Montreal and Southampton will complete "a girdle round about the earth." It goes without saying that this extension of British services will have to be thoroughly oi'ganised and it is not too early for New Zealand to suggest that future plans should be developed in the closest possible co-operation with the Americans. For one thing, the initial volume of traffic across the Pacific is not likely to be such as to make competition economic and, while a permanent merger of British and American interests may bo out of the question, there is every reason why endeavours should be made to come to a working arrangement similar to that which exists in the North Atlantic. Fortunately the outlook in this respect is hopeful. The fact that President Roosevelt, in welcoming tho King and Queen to Washington a few weeks ago, pointed to the joint Anglo-American ownership of Canton Island as evidence of the friendship existing between the two countries can at least be taken as a happy augury. Aucklanders will recall that when the Empire flying-boat Centauruß arrived at Auckland during tho Christmas season of 1937 Captain Burgess and the late Captain Musiclc shook hands over a table covered by the Union Jack. It is not too much to hope that the friendship shown in the meeting of these two men will livjs on in the future of the services which they pioneered.