TASMAN AIR MAIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23702, 9 January 1939, Page 8

TASMAN AIR MAIL

COMMENCEMENT OF SERVICE LIKELIHOOD OF DELAY POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S COMMENT (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, Jan. 8. **l am not in a position to say when the service will operate,” said the Postmaster-general (Mr F. Jones), when commenting to-day on the cabled statement of the Australian Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr H. V. Thorby) that there was little likelihood, of the Tasman- air mail service being started before September or October.

Mr Jones said that the inauguration of the service would depend on the time taken to provide all the necessary equipments, both in Auckland and in Australia. If Mr Thorby thought the Australian end would not be ready until September or October, the service might not be operated until then. “We in New Zealand are going ahead and hope to be ready some time before that,” Mr Jones added. “ Nevertheless, whichever country takes the longer in getting ready for the service will determine when the service can be operated.” Preparations in New Zealand were being pushed on as rapidly as possible-, the Minister said. Attention was being given to the provision of the necessary equipment, radio and meteorological services, and to the base in Auckland. The Minister did not think’ that there would be any delay as far as New Zealand was concerned, but no matter how soon the Dominion was prepared, the service could not be inaugurated until Australia also vas ready. Prior to the commencement of the service, there would be survey and test flights over the route. All the necessary equipment would have to be tested most thoroughly before schedule running was begun, and therefore the long-range flying-boats would probably traverse the route several times before the dates mentioned by Mr Thorby.