Hawaii-Tahiti

Air Link

No Explanation of Continued Delay

DIFFICULTIES of various kinds have developed to delay the in auguration of South Pacific Air lines—the new service planned by Captains Monkton and Barnes to provide a regular air link between Hawaii and Tahiti. It was expected, last year, that the service, by now, would have been carrying American tourists into Tahiti.

The idea, originally, was that two ex-Trans Oceanic Airways Solents, re-conditioned in Sydney, should run the service, and it was reported at one stage that Dollar Line in terests (American) would back it. [ Then international complications set in. Apparently, the line was to be under American register, and the Americans were not favourable So the exclusive use of flyingboats.

Ihe plan envisaged the use of Christmas Island atoll, exactly half pay between Honolulu and Papeete, is a re-fuelling station; but it bpeared that Britain in this con lection was not well disposed, f Some of the troubles have been roned out; the Solents recently have seen under test; but it still is re ported that land as well as sea jlanes will have to be used. How jver, there has been for several reeks a total absence of news about ihe proposed airline. We do not bow whether the Dollar people ire still interested.

I The net result is that any Ameri ans who wish to holiday in Tahiti p this pleasant weather still must

travel via Fiji and the TEAL Coral Route (scheduled fortnightly, but running more frequently lately).

An Interesting Report.

No one seems happy with the pre sent arrangement; The French Government, because too few rich Americans are purchasing tourist service: the New Zealand Govern ment, because there is no annual profit in the TEAL Coral Route; travel agents, because of that miss ing link between Honolulu and Tahiti.

It has been reported in New Zealand lately that there is a pos sibility of the over-all problem be ing solved by the formation of a New Zealand-American corporation, controlled by private enterprise (but using some Government funds), to take over the various interests in volved, and run a first-class service through Polynesia by flyingboats.

The service (replacing the TEAL Coral Route service) would branch off from the regular Trans-Pacific (Sydney-San Francisco) service at Fiji; and run through Western Samoa, Cooks, and French Oceania to rejoin the main service at Hono lulu.

This, it is argued, would solve everything—but no progress can be made in the plan until the goodwill and co-operation of four Govern ments (New Zealand, United King dom, France and United States) have been secured.

There is no confirmation of this report. But it does hold the out line of a reasonable plan—and it would explain the otherwise in explicable delay in the establishment of the Honolulu-Tahiti air link.