EMPIRE AIR SERVICE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18757, 13 July 1935, Page 15

EMPIRE AIR SERVICE

THE TASMAN LINK QUESTION OF CONTROL AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE (Elec. Tel. Copyright.—United Press A nan.) (Received Julv 12, .'I p.m.) SYDNEY, July 12. Sir Charles Kingsfnnl Smith, Captain P. Cl. Taylor, and Mr Beau Shiel discussed with the Alin.step of. Defence, Mr R. A. Parkhill, details of proposals recent y submitted In the Federal Ministry hv Sir Charles for tin 1 establishment of an air mail service between Australia and New Zealand. Mr Paikliill subsequently stated Hint he asked Mir Charles to submit definite i information .as to the details of his proposals, and the estimated expeqdituro necessary if they were adopted. His own view was that the Australia to New Zealand section of the air mail from Britain to Australia and New Zealand should be a Commonwealth and New Zealand enterprise. BRITAIN PERTURBED JOINT POLICY WANTED LAND OR SEA PLANES? (Received -It'll v 12, 3 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. Mr Parkhill’s announcement that lie approved of the principle of Sir Charles Kinfsfon.l Smith’s plans for tlje Tasman service to be in the sole control of the Australian and. New Zealand Governments has attracted much attention bv the British aircraft industry, which, in view of Sir Charles’ known preference for American aircraft. has caused some perturbation. I’hese quarters are pressing .for some indication of the joint policy by Britain and the Dominion Governments, pointing out that no further ifficial information has emerged since the Anglo-Dominion conference in Sydney in February. Sir Philip Cunlif'fe-Lister, in the House of Commons to-day, said he was not in a position to make a statement beyond the fact that considerable progress was being made in tne Dominions, one of the reasons for reticence was the fact that the Air Ministry, Post Office, Treasury, and Dominions Office were all concerned in the scheme. The Dominions Office spokesmati pointed out that the fact that Australia and New Zealand were taking sole control of the Tasman route did not, simply their non-co-ojieartion in the larger scheme, which, so far, was mapped our. only as far as Sydney. Other quarters, ffoiyever, previously regarded the Tasman, route as an integral part of the Empire' .scheme, tnd interpret the Australian and New Zealand, attitude, as ope of impatience at the slowness of tho progress towards a. general Imperial agreement. It is understood that Colonel Johnson, Aus.lra.lian Director of ...Civil Aviation, whoso London mission includes technical details of the Tasman nr vice, disagrees with the British viewpoint that the Tasman route is olio ixclusive.lv , for flying boats, and prefers development with tho most suitable aircraft available, whether British or American, father than await the large high-speed flying boats Messrs. Short Brothers are now building for Imperial Airways.