THE SOUTH ISLAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26792, 8 June 1948, Page 4

THE SOUTH ISLAND

LAND-BASED SERVICE P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, June 7. Astonishment that the proposal to inaugurate a flying boat service between Sydney and Wellington should have been made in view of the claims for a direct service with Christchurch was expressed this morning by the acting president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr Angus Henderson. “The people of the South Island will be astonished to hear of this suggestion, in view of the obvious opportunity to start at once a landbased service between Melbourne and Christchurch, using Wigram temporarily until the runways at Harewood are extended,’’ said Mr Henderson. “There is an Australian concern ready to start that service as soon as we give the word. "It would be fair and reasonable to expect that,' as the North’ Island already has a trans-Tasman air terminal, any additions to the service should be made to the South Island,” he added. The proposal was all the more astonishing, Mr Henderson continued, because of the incontrovertible evidence given in support of liarewood and for a South Island terminal to the A to L Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives, and to the Government Aerodromes Committee. It was hoped that a direct service to the South Island would not be eclipsed in favour of a more indirect service. There was an intense desire among South Island people for their own direct land-based service.