Greatest Air Migration Starts

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1948, Page 6

Greatest Air Migration Starts

Press Assoczatzon)

(Per .

AUCKLAND, Sept. 7. The greatest air migration in history is to begin this month. Flying from the airport of Hassani, near Atflens, a flight of heavy transpoi;t aircraft operated by a specially formed American company known as lmmigration Air Transport, is to carry 215,000 dispiaced persons and immigrants from Central Europe to new homes in Australia. Before the end of the year they will be travelling at the rate of 2100 a month but it may be six or seven years before the task is eompleted. Details of the scheme were reveaied by Mr. G. A. Dutton, e^ecutive traffic director of the new airline, when he arrived in Auckland from the United States on a B.C.O.P.A. Skymaster. He left a few honrs later for Australia wliere he will complete terminal arrangements for the services. Mr. Dutton said 215,000 Central Europeans, of whom about 70 per cent were Greeks, already held immigration permits for Australia. Witli the shortage of shipping their prospects of reaching their new homeland had been remote and last year an Australian company, using Loekheed Hudson aircraft, began the task of transporting them from Athens. It jsoon became apparent that a much larger organisation was required and the airline was reformed in the United States as an American concern. Eight Curtis Commando transports would initiate the new seTvice on September 20. Flying the B.O.A.C. route from Athens to Australia, they would make 12 trips

V monthly with 600 passengers. Within about three months they would be ieinformed by seven Boemg liyingboats, each with a capacity for 75 passengers^ and the lift of immigrants vvould be increased to 2100 monthly. Flights would then be made" daiiy and the overall travelling time would be less than 60 hours. The cost of transporting the dis;" plaeed persons would be met by the International Befugee Organisation pf United Nations, Mr.J Duttpn c'ontinued. in "the case of other iminigra,nts, friends, relatives or business people in Australia guaranteed their fares. The majority of the immigrants now awaiting passage to Australia were Greek about 30 per cent represented other nationalities such as Italian, Czechosloyakian, Scandinavian, Egyptian ahd Lebanese."'Some did nbt seem impressive or well chosen but mbst were of an .excellent type and would develPp into fine Australian citizens. Many were farmers accustomed to industrious and thrifty work. WHAT OF NEW ZEALAND ? Mr.' DuttOn will revisit New Zealand to discuss the possibility of extending the air immigration service to the Dominion. It had been proposed that every sixth or seventh flight should be made direct to New Zealand, he said but the attitude of the New Zealand Government was not yet known. Among the immigrants themselves there was a profound admiration for the Dominion's svstem of government and this. coupled witli a favourable climate, was : the greatest "drawcard. "