AIR SERVICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 130, 4 June 1935, Page 9

AIR SERVICES.

N. AUCKLAND ROUTE.

THREE RIVAL PROPOSALS

CO-OPERATION ADVISED

The fact that there are three firms interested in conducting air services over portions of the 4 me air route novth of Auckland was revealed at a sitting in Auckland this morning of the Transport Co-ordination Bpard. Sir Stephen Allen, chairman of the board, presided, and with him was Mr. Lisle Alderton, of Auckland. The third, member, Mr. H. B. S. Johnstone, of .South Canterbury, was not present. j | The sitting was helli primarily to consider the application fnade by SquadronLeader J. D. Hewett, on behalf of Falcon Airways Limited, of Auckland. Mr. W. C. S. Bainbridge./who represents the applicant, said that jthough the scheme was subetantially fcomplete, the fact that there was another applicant for the same route, meant that the original scheme would have to be slightly modified. He asked that the application be adjourned. It would not be possible to put a service into Operation for some time, because of the necessity of forming an adequate landing ground at Whangarei. When the chairman asked if an indication could be given' v 'of the proposals, Mr. Bainbridge asked that Mr. T. S, Withers, who had been consulted by SquadronLeader Hewett, and who was present, might be allowedto do so. Auckland to Whangarei. Mr, Withers, called as a witness, explained at the outset that he wae in no way connected with the scheme, but had given Squadron-Leader Hewett some advice at his request. The advice was mostly of a critical nature. The scheme as he understood , it, contemplated a eer vice twice daily'between Auckland and Whangarei, It jwas intended to run it to a time-taWe Tin conjunction with the Postal Department, and to co-operate with the gervi<s .between Auckland and Dunedin, for wjhiclj a license had been granted Great Pacific Airways, Ltd. A morning service from Whangarei would connect at Mangere with the Southern service, which-, was proposed to etart about 8 a.m. Similarly, the afternoon trip from Auckland north would link up with the arrival", of the 'plane from Puiiedin, That .would enable passengers and majl to bo transported right through from Whangarei to DunedinThe other .return trip from Whangarei it was proposed, should leave the northern terminus about mid-day, after having connected with the northern express at Whangerei.

Type of Aircraft. So far as the type of aircraft was concerned,* Mr. Withers said that Squadcontemplated a sufficient pay load for a mediiim-eized machine of British manufacture, and had In mind a De Havilland Drajron. which had accommodation for as many as eight people. The maximum fare which it -was thought could be charged j was 35/ single. With three passengers a trip, witness said that he had no hesitation in saying that this would , result iii a, slight lose to the operator unless there were some other assistance. It woultt'be necessary to have a second machine as a standby, and the capital ' required -for the scheme would be £20.000, p'f which £3500 would be

working capital. As there was another applicant for the service, witness suggested that the two should confer wU 1 ) the idea of co-operating. With an average of .tour passengers, added witness, tho service would "break a little better than' 1 evens."

i Another Suggested Service. Mr. Spencer llason then stated that lie was-Interested "ith Mr. F. B. Cadroan In an application for a nor.hern service '.\er a more ex-.ended routi. This it was proposed sh< nld irialiide Kaikohe, Whangarei. Auckland, Hamilton, Te Ktiiti and New Plymouth. It also embraced the Bay of Plenty, linking Opotj'ki, , Whakatane and Tauranga with Hamilton and Auckland. ," Sir Stephen Allen remarked that there would be a great deal of work in pr<?r paring landing grounds on liiesc routes. • Mr. Cadman stressed the delay there I would be in putting tlip service into operation if it depended on t'.'.Q Public

Works Department preparing tlie landing grounds. With a certain type of machine suitable grounds could be prepared much quicker. * Gisborne To Auckland. On behalf oi New Zeaian.i Airways, Limited, Mr. H. M. McK-y Mii • that from the outsec of licensi.-g air services in the Dominion his company iiaa applied for a service between Gisborne and Auckland, and it was prepare! to go on with that application. He had indicated to Squadron-Leader Hewett that he would be pleased to co-operate vuth him. it wh* just a question of knowing what in- Intention* wore. Air: McKay said ttc had come to Auckland to confer with Squadron-Leader HewetL The Chairman: That seems to indicate a further reason for adjourning the application. Mr. McKay: We would have no objection, provided that our application is finalised at the next meeting of the board in Wellington. In "ranting an adjournment sine die Sir Stephen Allen said he thought the parties concerned would be well advised to confer. The money involved in air service schemes was fairly substantial and services required very careful consideration. The bigger, the scheme the greater was the capital required. Mr. McKay had a fairly comprehensive scheme which might involve flying from Auckland southwards. Mr. Bainbridge: We shall explore those avenues.