TASMAN AIR LINK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19998, 25 July 1939, Page 7

TASMAN AIR LINK

EQUIPMENT IN FUTURE LAND MACHINES POSSIBLE SELECTION OF TERMINAL “I talked the matter over with an official ol' Imperial Airways when 1 was in Australia recently, and he was of the opinion that possibly after three or four years had passed they would be using land machines for the Tasman air service,” said Mr. M. A. Eliott, of Palmerston North, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, in referring to the subject of the terminal on this side of the Tasman Sea in an address to the Palmerston North Rotary Club. “The official is of the opinion that Mrlson aerodrome will be used for the terminal when this happens, and not anywhere else in New Zealand,” he added. 'Mr. Eliott said the official knew the situation in New Zealand, and was of the opinion that the New Plymouth airport was too risky on account of the fact that Mount Egmont in heavy weather would toe a potential source of danger. “In clear weather it would toe a landmark,” said Mr. Eliott. “In that case it would toe just as easy to come on to Palmerston North.” Reference to Controversy

Earlier in his address Mr. Eliott had referred to the controversy between Auckland and Wellington in regard to their respective claims to have the trans-Tasman terminal. “Auckland naturally pushed its claims to the utmost,” said Mr. Eliott, ■•p.i'd the Government, to avoid taking Sides, left the decision as to which was the more suitable place in the hands of experts. Safety first was the motto of the experts. The experts obtained all ■the necessary data and found that Auckland was a more suitable place. They were disappointed in Wellington, but information in regard to weather conditions has shown that the number of days on which machines would be able to land in Auckland is more than those for Wellington.” Triangular Service Mr. Eliott said the latest move had been to urge the establishment of a triangular service, hut the Government had put that off'. In the meantime, with the improvements going on almost daily in aircraft, both flyingboats and land machines, the question of suitability as far as the weather was concerned would not enter into calculations so much in the future. As far as the distribution of mail and the disembarkation of passengers was concerned Wellington was much better situated.