MAILS BY AEROPLANE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9431, 31 January 1921, Page 4

MAILS BY AEROPLANE.

SERVICE TO ASHBURTON. INAUGURATION TO-DAY. BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. MACHINE COMPLETES JOURNEY. RETURN TRIP TO THE CITY. The weather had apparently conspired to put the aerial mail service to the severest tesit on its inauguration to-day. A strong sou- west wind, accompanied by squalls of heavy rain, was driving head-on to the course of the Avro on its southern run this morning. Nevertheless the spectators at the landing ground on Beach Road were able to distinguish the 'plane, flying low, steering a straight course for Ashburton at 8.48 a.m. From then on the course of the first aerial mail to Ashburton was followed with close interest until .the final landing at 8.53 a.m. '

Owing 5 to some misunderstanding Captain Euan Dickson landed the machine in\a paddock, on the corner of Beach and Trevor's roads, instead of lower down Beach Road opposite Miss J. Chalmers's residence. Meanwhile the mail for Timaru was ready and waiting at the latter paddock, and, considering the' weather, a fair-sized crowd had collected, including . the postmaster, Hr G. H. Harle, and two photographers, who had already^ set up their cameras. There was a wild helter-skelter for the aeroplane when it , finally landed, bicycles and motori cars combining m a race up the road. i jThe Ayro was only 13 minutes be-, hind schedule m its arrival at Ashburton, m / spite of the heavy sou'wester"arm":a.late start, which accounted for' a'' feW minutes. Captain Euan IHckson'said the mail left Sockburn a few. mihu'tes after 8 a.m., and five m;les. out the., machine ran into gales .of!,yind,;sqttalis of rain making flying unpleasant; ''The flight was made at a low altitude. He carried two passengers with him — the machine's complemejit — fobth of whom were going the full, journey to Timaru. The passengers - w&re 1 Mli L. D. Bamfield, travelling representative of Messrs George and Doughty, Wellington, and a repre- . sentative of a Christchurch evening newfepa'per. Both declared cheerfully that they were enjoying the trip, although they received the f^ull force of the wind and rain on the rear seats. The outward mail to Timaru from Ashburton comprised over 20 letters " per aviation post." A very fairsized inward mail from Christchurch to Ashburton was also taken over by the postal representatives. The usual signatures of receipts on way bills, etc.; were exchanged. Captain Diekson was anxious to cut down the waiting time at Ashburton, and almost to schedule time — 9 a.m. — and m spite of the importunities of photographers, the Avro taxied down wind, and, turning, rose straight into the sou- west galo A thick rain was drifting m at the time., and also immediately after crossing the line of the Ashburton River the Avrp disappeared on its southward journey. . By courtesy of the Canterbury Aviation Company, copies of N to-day's " Lytteltqn Times " were carried on the. aeroplane, and the newspapers were duly received this morning by the editor of the " Guardian " at 9.10 a.m., and by the Mayor and Town Clerk shortly afterwards. , The passenger berths on the Avro have been booked the full distance both ways to-day. The local representative of the Aviations Company, Mr G. H. Keat, states that later m the present week he has three bookings from Ashburton residents for the trip to Christchurch. He also stated that the present landing ground on Beach Road would not be available much longer, but he was arranging for. another site, probably on the Racecourser Road. I