FLYING IN NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 206, 28 August 1920, Page 13

FLYING IN NEW ZEALAND.

MINISTER ON ITS FUTURE. PEACE, UTILITY, AND WAR SERVICE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Captain Dickson's performance wiis a very fine one indeed," declared the Hon. <>• /•• C'ontes (Postmaster-General), during a talk with your correspondent upon the possibilities of aviation in New /.calnnd, suggested by the proved reliability of a mac-bine when un experienced aviator could cross a notoriously treacherous stretch of water with two passengers and heavy equipment. The -Minister speaks with knowledge, for lie I saw much of the work of aviators on the Western front. He repeated that tho crossing of Cook Strait was a fine performance, when one considered that that part of Xew Zealand is subject to great atmospheric changes, and affords few landing places for a machine. "Experienced pilots all say it is a difficult proposition," continued Mr. Coates. "It is not tbe sort of thing we shall expect to see regularly when we get aviation services going regularly ill New Zealand. It shows tbat reliability of machine flying is easy in Canterbury, but the moment you get over tbe mountains you strike difficulties, and I don't see how a regular service could be maintained over mountainous country. Tbe Postal Department's idea is that it will be able to serve certain districts by aero, plane, and keep a small but highly efficient aviation staff in good training ready to co-operate with the defence system if need arises, because the aeroplane has come to stay both in defence and in commerce." Mr. Coates pointed out the importance nf having highly skilled mechanics as well as good pilots. He suggested that the average man hardly realises how much skilled attention an aeroplane needs daily. Asked if he could indicate any districts which could benefit particularly by nerial mail service, the Minister mentioned Gisborne, because, he said, it is so badly served by land and sea that aerial mails would become bo useful that they would be a real revenue proposition. As for the charges likely to be made, Mr. Coates declared personal partiality for a cheap service, such as a sixpenny letter from ChristchurcTi to Oamaru. It had been proved, he said, that after the -novelty wore off, an aerial service could quickly be killed by high charges. He spoke appreciatively of the pioneer work done by Walsh Bros., in Auckland, and by the Canterbury Aviation Co. in the South, mentioning that an arrangement had been agreed upon under -which the Defence Department would periodically take charge of these useful schools to conduct final testß of pilots trained there. Aeroplanes, concluded the Minister, are expensive things to run and maintain, therefore my own idea is not to have a very large fleet of machines, but to keep up a small and efficient aviation organisation, which will be of value in peacetime and of Immense service if the Dominion ever found itself "involved in war.