Trans-Pacific

Airmail

May Come Into Operation in April or May

rERE is still no date announced for the inauguration of the trans pacific airmail service; but one or two incidents during the month suggest that it may not be much longer delayed.

It was announced from Canberra, on February 7, that Britain, Australia and New Zealand have now finished squab bling about the terms under which the Sydney-Auckland service is to be inau gurated. and that the flying boat “Ao tearoa” will commence a weekly service early in April.

There are indications that Pan-Ame rican Airways still are being embar rassed by Government interference, shortage of suitable flying-boats, and what not, but there is some probability of a Boeing Clipper being available to commence a fortnightly service from San Francisco to Auckland, via Hono lulu, Canton Island and Noumea (and, possibly, Fiji), in April or May. Mr.

Harold Gatty, P.A.A. representative in New Zealand, left Auckland for San Francisco by mail steamer early in March, evidently with the idea of hurry ing on the arrangements and it was then expected that he would fly back to Auckland about the end of March, on a mail-carrying Clipper.

At the end of February, the California Clipper flew from Honolulu to Canton Island with P.A.A. personnel, and sup plies for the construction crew which has been erecting buildings there. It is announced that an air-conditioned hotel of 24 rooms is “nearly completed” on Canton Island. It was stated several weeks ago that this work had already been completed.

The long-awaited trans-Pacific air mail between Sydney and San Fran cisco, therefore, may come into opera tion in April or May; but Central Paci fic residents still would be well advised to believe it when they see it.