CONTROL OF AIR SERVICES

Southland Times, Issue 25482, 30 September 1944, Page 5

CONTROL OF AIR SERVICES

N.Z. AND AUSTRALIAN

PROPOSAL (Rec. 8.50 p.m.) CANBERRA, Sept. 29. Australia was deeply disappointed that the Australian-New Zealand proposal for the international control ot air services had not received the support anticipated, declared the Commonwealth Minister for Air, Mr A. S. Drakeford in the House of Representatives today. Because of the lack of support for this broad scheme, consideration was now being given to other proposals in the belief that it would be possible at least to secure an agreement between the countries of the British Empire. Mr Drakeford announced that the Australian Government had a fourpoint plan for external air services as follows:

(1) The re-establishment of an expanded scale of passenger, .mail and freight services between Britain and Australia via the Mediterranean and India or Ceylon. (2) The establishment of a military air transport service to cross the Pacific as the fore-runner of commercial air services to link up with Canadian internal services and transAtlantic air services operating between Canada and Britain. (3) The formulation of definite plans for inter-Commonwealth services during the forthcoming Empire talks. (4) The Australian Government will endeavour to assist in reaching an understanding among the great nations so that if, as seems likely, international ownership and operation is impracticable, there would be at least be a. basis of co-operation in respect of the international air transport services. SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND Elaborating the main points of the Australian plan, Mr Drakeford said the military trans-Pacific air service now to be established would pave the way at an appropriate time for a commerceial service linking Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada.

For more than a year, Quantas Air-

ways had operated a restricted service across the Indian Ocean to Ceylon and Karachi, linking up with a service from England. It was planned to expand this service as soon as was practicable In place of the international air agreement first proposed by Australia and New Zealand plans were now being made for intra-British Commonwealth services. The objective was to provide an Empire air transport service operated by the British Dominions and India in collaboration.