TASMAN AIR MAIL

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1935, Page 7

TASMAN AIR MAIL

WEEKLY SERVICE PLAN THOUGHT TO BE FEASIBLE AUSTRALIAN OBJECTIONS COMPROMISE SUGGESTED E/ Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 12.30 p.m. Sydney, Feb. 26. No official statement on the air mail conferences and discussions has yet been issued, but it is believed the question of a trans-Tasman air service was considered to-day. The proposal is a weekly service between Sydney and New Zealand.

At the airways exhibition to-day, the Hon. Adam Hamilton congratulated the Commonwealth on the development of aviation, adding that the flight to New Zealand by Messrs. J. D. Hewett and C. E. Kay after competing in the air race demonstrated the feasibility of linking up the Dominion with the great Empire air services. He paid a tribute to the pioneering work of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and the late Mr. C. T. P. Ulm in this respect. Mr. R. A. Parkhill, Commonwealth Minister of Defence, states that if the air mail proposals of the British delegation are accepted by the Commonwealth a 15 years’ agreement, providing for revision every three years, will be sought. The Minister said the question of the extent to which agreement would be entered into had not yet been resolved. It is understood that Australian and New Zealand delegates still hold® the view that the Ijd per ounce rate proposed by Britain would impose a prohibitive cost on the Commonwealth and the Dominion, says the Sun. A move is being made to strike a compromise rate of 2>]d. It is also understood that some delegates may suggest that flying-boats be employed between Singapore and Darwin and land planes between Darwin and Sydney, as an alternative to the British proposal to employ flying-boats throughout. The New Zealand delegates attended the airways exhibition, which was officially opened by Mr. Parkhill. The exhibition includes photographs of the England to Australia air route and models of many types of aeroplanes, especially those employed in the air mail service.

Mr. Hamilton said to-night that the conference had been engaged in discussing many intricate problems. There were still a few Australian difficulties to be overcome and, until that was achieved, it was not possible io proceed further with the discussion of the position as it applies to New Zealand.