Toa’S Sydney-Moresby Service

Again Held Up

TO A Ltd. has encountered further dif ficulties in its plan to establish a flying-boat service between Sydney and Moresby.

A service was announced, originally, to commence in November. This was can celled because the Australian authorities would not allow the craft to make use of Townsville: and the flying-boats then available could not fly with a load from Brisbane to Moresby.

So TOA bought, in Britain, a Solent capable of flying, with a load, from Bris bane to Moresby. It was to inaugurate the service early in 1951. It crashed, and was lost at Malta, en route to Australia.

TOA immediately bought another Solent in Britain. It was to undergo certain alterations in the factory of Short Brothers, makers of the Solents, and leave for Australia in time to start the service in April. A strike has occurred in this factory, and no date yet can be given for the start of the service.