AIR SERVICES

Southland Times, Issue 22998, 18 September 1936, Page 7

AIR SERVICES

British Authority’s

Visit

PROPOSED LINK WITH AUSTRALIA

(United Press Association.)

Wellington, September 17. Referring to the proposed air conference with Mr F. L. G. Bertram, DeputyDirector of Civil Aviation at the British Air Ministry, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, stated that the conference would discuss aviation problems generally, including the proposal to establish an air mail service between Australia and New Zealand. So far he had not received an official reply from the Australian Government, but he took it that a report from Canberra that the Commonwealth Minister of Defence, Sir Archdale Parkhill, would visit New Zealand was correct.

The outstanding difficulty in coming to an agreement between the Imperial authorities and the Commonwealth on the attractive proposal to carry all first class mails by air between Britain, Australia and New Zealand without a surcharge had been the charging of a higher rate of postage within Australia than was proposed for the long air route, said Mr Savage. The internal postage in the Commonwealth was a minimum of 2d an ounce, while the Imperial scheme provided for the same letter charge as in the .United Kingdom of lad. Recently a new organization was established in Sydney with an influential commercial backing to agitate for a reduction of postal charges. Delegation From Australia PERSONNEL ANNOUNCED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, September 17. Advice of the personnel of the delegation which will arrive from Australia next week to participate in the discussions about the proposals for a transTasman air service was received by the New Zealand Government to-night Mr F. G. L. Bertram, Deputy-Director of Civil Aviation in the British Air Ministry, will arrive in New Zealand by the Wanganella next week to advise the Dominion Government about the extension of the Empire air mail service to New Zealand and other aviation matters and the Australian delegates will take part in the discussions between Mr Bertram and the Dominion authorities. The members of the Australian delegation, who will also arrive by the Wanganella, are Mr H. P. Brown, Dir-ector-General of Postal Services, Mr M. L. Shepherd, secretary of. the Department of Defence, Captain E. C. Johnston Controller-General of Civil Aviation, and Mi - M. B. Barry, Chief Inspector of Postal Services.

The British Government, in announcing its plans for an Empire air mail service, proposed that the giant flying boats at present under construction for Imperial Airways should carry the mails from London to Sydney. At present machines of Imperial Airways take the mails to Singapore, and from there they are taken to Australia by Qantas Airways, an Australian company. The Australian Government objected to the British proposal, wishing to retain control of the internal section of the route. The Federal Cabinet also held that the scheme would involve it in heavy expenditure as it was proposed that the malls should be carried without a surcharge. Another ground for the objection was that Australian aviation experts believed that land aeroplanes were more suitable for the final section from Darwin to Sydney. Discussions on these points have been taking place ever since Australia first objected to the scheme, though both the governments concerned have throughout been of opinion that a satisfactory arrangement could be reached. The scheme also provides for the extension of the flying-boat service across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, and the middle of next year has been mentioned as the probable time for the commencement of the service. It is understood that the British Government has offered to pay half of the cost of the Tasman service, the balance to be found by the New Zealand and Australian Governments. Twenty-nine machines have been ordered by Imperial Airways to operate the Empire air service. They are Short four-engined monoplane flying-boats, with a speed approaching 200 miles an hour. Two of the boats have already been launched and tested, and it is expected that delivery of the remainder will be made soon.