TASMAN AIR SERVICES.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13000, 13 July 1935, Page 5

TASMAN AIR SERVICES.

PROPOSALS BEFORE GOVERNMENT. “SMITHY” STATES HIS VIEWS. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copvnght. SYDNEY, July 12. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Captain P. G. Taylor, and Mr Beau Shiel discussed with the Federal Minister of Defence (Air R. A. Parkhill) details of the proposals recently submitted to the Federal Alinistry by Sir Charles for the establishment of an air-mail service between Australia and New Zealand. Air Parkhill subsequently stated that he had asked Sir Charles tO' submit definite information as to the details of his proposals and the estimated expenditure necessary if they were adopted. His own view was that the Australia to New Zealand section of the air-matil service from Britain to Australia and New Zealand should be a Com lonwealth and New Zealand enterprise. A JOINT POLICY. LONDON, July 11. Air Parkhill’s announcement that he approved of the principle of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s plans for a Tasman service under the sole control of the Australian and New Zealand Governments has attracted much attention in the British aircraft industry. In view of Sir Charles’ known preference for American aircraft, the announcement lias caused some perturbation in these quarters, which are pressing for some indication of a joint pol icy for the British and Dominion Governments. They point out that no further official information has emerged since the Anglo-Dominion conference at Sydney in February GOOD PROGRESS. LONDON, July 11. The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Philip CunJiffe- Lister), speaking in the House of Commons today, said that he was not in a position to make a statement beyond the fact that considerable j >r< >- gross was being made with the Dominions. One of the reasons for reticence was the fact that the Air Alinistry, the Post Office, the Treasury, and the Dominions Office were all concerned in the scheme. The Dominions Office spokesman pointed out that the fact of Australia and New Zealand taking sole control of the Tasman route did not imply that they would not cooperate in the larger Imperial scheme, which so far had been mapped out only as far as Sydney. Other quarters, however, which had previously regarded the Tasman route as an integral part of an Empire scheme, interpret the Australian and New Zealand attitude as one of ini patience at the slowness of progress towards a general Imperial agreement. It is understood that Captain E. C. Johnston (Australian Controller of Civil Aviation), whose London mission includes the discussing of technical details regarding ' the Tasman service, disagrees with the British viewpoint that the Tasman route is one exclusively for flying boats. It is believed that he prefers development with the most suitable aircraft available, whether British or American. rather than awaiting the large high-speed flying boats which Short Brothers are now building for Imperial Airways. TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. SYDNEY, July 12. Kingsford Smith, commenting on the London cables, said: “It would be very wrong to take as an antiEmpire gesture my recommendation for American aircraft for a Trans-Tasman service. “Through no fault on Britain’s part, the Americans have prod uced a type of aircraft eminently suitable fur operation within and between the Dominions, and it is obvious that both Australia and New Zealand will become far more valuable units of the Empire when they are connected by an efficient and 'regular air-mail and passenger service.” CONCERN AT HOAIE. LONDON, July 12. Captain E. C. Johnston (Australian Controller of Civil Aviation) said the Americans were confident that they would establish a tians- Atlantic service before Imperial Airways. The Americans were secretive concerning their machines, but claimed that they had suitable ’planes to operate via Bermuda, and the Azores, also on a. northerly route, without awaiting the construction of flying-boats in England, for which Sikorsky and Bellanca are forming British companies, situated at Belfast and Liverpool.