Chapter Of Accidents

Upsets New Hebrides Air Services

From R. W. Robson, in Vila The New Hebrides were with out a single plane for inter-islaiK services in mid-August followin accidents to planes of both Ne\ Hebrides Airways and Hebridah and the absence of an

plane in Fiji.

THIS resulted in a temporary ha to the minor war that has bee going on between British and Frenc interests for some time over the coi trol of internal air transport in th Condominium.

New Hebrides Airways is basical] British, with Mr. Bob Paul, of Tann; an Australian, as chairman, and M Paul Burton, the chief pilot, one ( the main shareholders.

Hebridair is a French compan; registered two years ago and directe mainly by Mr, Martinet, boss ( Transpac, the New Caledonian con pany which runs New Caledonia’s h ternal services.

New Hebrides Airways has bee operating a successful service fc several years with one Drover ai craft. Pilot Brian (“Blackjack Walker delivered a second Drover i late July, whereupon the first Drov< was sent to Fiji for overhaul.

Wing Smashed

On August 7, Pilot Walker took h Drover to Aniwa. As he put dow there, he mistook a strip which tl natives were clearing for the airstr proper which is nearby, hit a stum and smashed a wing. In mid-Augu the plane was still there, and NH was without an aircraft.

Hebridair only got going last Fel ruary with a German two-engii Dornier aircraft, which soon afte wards broke a tail plane when usii the rough strip at Aneityum.

It had been back in service on a short time when, on August 12, was asked to go to Erromanga to pi( up a Mr, William, a Frenchrm engaged on a forestry project, wl was gravely ill with peritonitis.

As Pilot Deloom was taxi-ing tl Dornier along the primitive airstri he, too, hit a hidden stump, and p his plane out of action.

The authorities in Vila the hurriedly sent the Condominium sh

ocinante to bring the sick man to ila. Halfway there, it broke down, r. William died on Erromanga that eekend.

New Hebrides Airways and ebridair have been discussing, for any months, some form of agree ent —if not a merger—under which ey might divide up the available ter-island traffic; but, despite official essure, they have got nowhere.

The British insist that they have so r more at stake than the French — ey own the Tanna airstrip, which a good one —and they have native areholders in Tanna, Tongoa, etc., id a good operational record.

The French claim that, through ■anspac, in Noumea, they have gger and better resources, even ough they are not allowed to use e privately-owned British air-strips.

Local gossip has it that relations tween the two companies are ■ained, and that the French and itish Resident Commissioners are ncerned about it. But the Com issioners, of course, will not discuss