STEADY PROGRESS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20454, 6 November 1934, Page 1

STEADY PROGRESS.

Will Not Be Frightened Into Changing Policy. IMPERIAL AIRWAYS' WAV. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received November 6, 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, November 5. Sir Eric Geddes, speaking at Imperial Airways’ general meeting, said that no commercial service could base its plans upon a racing event like the Centenary Air Race. Imperial Airways for many

months had planned a seven and a quarter days' service along this route, and Imperial Airways was not going to be frightened off its policy of steady and efficient progress by any fine air race, however remarkable it might be. Sir Eric Geddes announced that Im-

perial Airways will immediately inaugurate a bi-weekly service from London to Johannesburg, and were considering a bi-weekly service to Singapore. The board thus far had been unable to find a way of increasing the speed without considerably increasing the cost, which the postal administrators had hitherto been unwilling to meet. The board considered it most important to provide the highest standards of regularity and .safety, while keeping the fares and mail rates as low as possible, hoping eventually to become independent of subsidies. “This is impossible if others insist on a mad race of subsidised air travel,” said Sir Eric. “We are prepared, hbwever, to operate any services our clients wish to pay for. The American’ Post Office loses £4,500,000 annually on fast air mail services, despite the fact that fuel in America costs a third less than in the Empire.”