CIVIL AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26233, 17 August 1946, Page 3

CIVIL AVIATION

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA OPENING OF CONFERENCE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 16. Aviation delegates from the United Kingdom and Australia to-day began a conference with officers of the civil aviation branch of the New Zealand Air Department for the discussion of details of the organisation of the Commonwealth and Pacific . Air Services. It is expected that this conference of the expert advisers to the three Governments will occupy the next few days discusing various aspects of ground organisation, meteorological and communication services. At the conclusion of the conference delegations will report to their Governments. The Minister of Defence, Mr Joijes, welcomed the visitors, and said that the conference in February had regarded it as essential that there should be some more permanent organisation on which representatives of each Government could maintain a watching brief over their interests in the Pacific, and act as an advisory agency in all matters pertaining to civil aviation in the Pacific. To provide such an advisory body, the South Pacific Air Transport Council, was established, and to advise the council in technical matters, there were set up within it the two committees now meeting in Wellington—the committee for air navigation and ground organisation, and the committee of meteorologists. The work would not necessarily be examined solely from the Commonwealth viewpoint, Mr Jones said, for both United States and (French territories had to be traversed, and it was desirable to have uniformity with them, at least in procedure. The Commonwealth approach to the Picao, the South Pacific conference in Australia next February, would also be discussed.