TRANS-TASMAN SERVICE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 391, 24 March 1937, Page 3

TRANS-TASMAN SERVICE

Round-the-World Air Chain. Press Association —Copyright. Auckland, March 23. The Importance of the trans-Tas-man air service as a final link in the rcund-the-World chain was emphasised by Mr. Harold Gatty, New Zealand representative' of Pan-American Airways, in an interview to-day. “It wafe' never intended) by PanAmerican’ Airways to run from the United States to Australia,” said Mr. Gatty. “On my first visit to New Zealand I made that abundantly plain. At that time Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and others were interested in the trans-Tasman service. There was a great deal of interest in the project and Pan-American Airways announced then that it was not planning to cross the Tasman. Such a proposal would have created ill-feeling among those who were pioneering the Tasman link.” "From the commencement of the planning, and during all the negotiations, Auckland has always been definitely stated to be the terminal as far as Pan-American Airways is concerned. This was logical as it would be a service that could tie in with the projected service between Australia and New Zealand. The position at that time is the position to-day. The inauguration of the service from the. United Stales to New Zealand will be of inestimable benefit to any British trans-Tasman service and will provide the ’planes that cross the Tasman with the major portion of their traffic.