SAFETY FIRST

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 2, 3 July 1939, Page 8

SAFETY FIRST

TASMAN AIR BASE

NO PAROCHIALISM

' Safety was a primary consideration in any decision as to the establishment of the trans-Tasman air base in Wellington or anywhere else, said the Minister of Marine (the Hon. P. Fraser) at the annual dinner of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club on Saturday night, in reply to a suggestion by the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. ~lslop) that Wellington's claim to be a terminal was a strong one.

Mr. Hislop said h«t- waft glad Mr, Fraser agreed with Mm that Wellington harbour, because of winds am* tides, provided a splendid training ground for seamanship, but that did not rule the harbour out as a terminal for the trans-Tasman air service. The*"* were winds and tides'in fome parts erf the harbour, and it was calm in others. The spirit which had conquered the. sea was not lacking in those in charge of the flying-boats of today, and he knew that Mr. Fraser joined with him in the.wish that the trans-Tasman air service would operate over a triangle of which Wellington and Auckland would be the bases, to provide a 100 per cent, perfect service in any conditions whatever.

Mr. Fraser said that though he might not know a great deal about yachting he did know, from reports presented to him, a great deal about the weather and the wind of Wellington harbour. They' all hoped that his Worship's wish would become an accomplished fact, but safety had to be placed first in an enterprise of that sort. Much as they would like Wellington to have every advantage—and what was of advantage to Wellington was usually of advantage to New Zealand —none of them would place parochialism before the safety of human life. Starting from that foundation, they wanted the air service to be as national and widespread as possible.