Agreement
pp. 23-24 · Read in the full issue
Nz And France Have Air
THE New Zealand and French Govern ments, on November 15, came to an interim agreement in respect of air craft landing rights in the territories in the South Pacific under their respective control. A more formal agreement is ex pected to follow, later.
By the interim agreement, the NZ Government grants to a French airline traffic rights in certain NZ Pacific Terri tories while the French Government has undertaken to grant similar rights in French territories to an airline to be de signated by the NZ Government.
In practice, this agreement is at pre sent one-sided as the only airline affected by it is the French TRAPAS service which runs monthly between Noumea, New Cale donia, and Tahiti with calls at airports in Fiji, Western Samoa and Cook Islands— the two last named being NZ-controlled Territories. This service has been operat ing for a year or so. The new agreement merely regularises it and will probably permit now, of the TRAPAS plane picking up and setting down passengers, mails or cargo at Western Samoa and Cook Islands airports.
There is no New Zealand air service which at present uses airports in French Pacific possessions. However, the agree ment provides for the NZ Government to designate an operator to use such facilities if and when NZ’s air network is extended to include French possessions in the Paci fic.
Dr. H. S. Evans, who has been on holiday in the United Kingdom, has re turned to Fiji, accompanied by his wife.
Dr. Evans is to be posted to Rotuma as a combined Medical and District Officer.
Mr L. C. Grant, OBE, who has been ap pointed Chief Engineer, Posts and Tele graphs Department on agreement for three years, has arrived in Fiji, He served in India from 1925 until last year. He will replace Mr. R. C. Farquhar as Chief En gineer. Mr. Farquhar, who has been filling the post for some years as a re employed pensioner will go to the United Kingdom on retirement leave next year.
Miss Maureen Mclvor has joined the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s staff at Port Moresby, Papua.