Hebrides—Solomons

Air Services For New Hebrides—Solomons

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Santo, Aug. 20.

11TITH its initial survey nights well over ▼ f six weeks old, and its berthing buoys lying idle on the Canal.

Qantas has so far failed to inaugurate its regular fortnightly service between Sydney and Santo.

Already there have been three post ponements of the projected line: the first to a definite date, the last two indefinitely, The general feeling in Santo is that Qantas made a premature announcement of its new plans.

Already served by Trans Oceanic Air ways from Sydney and Noumea, and by TRAPAS, from Noumea, the New Heb rides would appear to be well catered for at the moment: and the Resident Com missioners of the Group nerhaps are not es eager to grant Qantas necessary facilities as the Australian Government anticipated they would be.

If the new Qantas service eventuates. it will mean a regular fortnightly schedule between Svdnev and Panto as po-ainst the present monthly schedule of TOA.

While it is a nit TT a+ a annarentlv unjust— a nrivate line, after pioneering a route, should he forced to comnete with that backed by a Gov ernment unhamnered bv any lack of re sources. the result would be to the ad vantage of the Group.