LONDON SYDNEY AIR MAIL

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1931, Page 6

LONDON SYDNEY AIR MAIL

PREPARING THE WAY. IMPORTANT TEST FLIGHTS. SYDNEY'. April 2. At hi.it. it'st-i'ins a definite step has been taken in preparing the way tor ;l regular mail ami passenger aeroplane service between Australia and London. The announcement tins week that Imperial Airways, Ltd., had «'iratiged for two experimental flights from London to Darwin aroused the greatest interest. The first flight will begin on April 4th and dt<> second lliglu: on April 2dth. The link bet tween Darwin and Sydney will he provided by the (Queensland Ait Seivjces, the organisation known as (Quantas. For many years now the possibility id' establishing a service has been discussed with the Imperial authorities, and the impression is that the failure of the Commonwealth to assist iinanlially has been die cause oi the delay. Th<> Dutch air services have also made frequent attempts to interest the Commonwealth, l.mt the Commonwealth has always expressed a determination that all air services over Australia should he controlled in Australia. When the Government announced that it would not permit a foreign service to carry mads between Darwin and die capitals, the Dutch companv ceased to have any interest in the project. St range! v enough the announcement of the trial flights did not come ironi the Government. hut ‘lrom Rudders Ltd., tlie Australian agents for Imperial Airways. The managing direetoif of Rudders said that he had not been informed of the type of machine that would he used. The first aeroplane was expected at Darwin on April lhtli and the second on May Ifltli. Ihe.v would leave again on April 2,tb ant* Milv Utli. D was presumed that mails would lie carried on the outward journey, and no doubt arrangements would he made for mails to he carried hack. Sir Keith Smith announced yesterday that the company for which he was the Australian agent, \ ickers Aviation, Ltd., was providing a maechine in which nr Neville Stack was To leave- London this week for Darwin That flight would l>e in the nature of an experiment, and might have an import. -Hit hearing on the policy or Imperial Airways which was extremely anxious to extend its services to Australia providing sufficient inducement was offering. .Mr Stack would bring mails to Australia, and lie had planned to do the round trip in three weeks.