AIR ROUTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 170, 20 July 1935, Page 8

AIR ROUTES.

Although decisions by the Transport Co-ordination Board on the question of air routes and services are not subject to revision by a higher tribunal, they can be reviewed and amended by the Board itself. That must be so. No authority, and perhaps least of all one which is responsible for controlling and guiding the growth of air transport in a young and sparsely settled country like this, can make decisions which are final and irrevocable. It has to feel its way. If experience shows that changes are needed later, they will have to be made. This is a revolutionary age in transport, and the speed of progress will increase, not slacken. New Zealand is just entering upon big developments. Not only its own needs, but also external events, are pressing it on. We have been told that we are fortunate in having the knowledge of other countries, gained by the process of trial and error, to draw upon. It would be folly to ignore that. One of the lessons of experience is that safe and roomy and well-equipped landing grounds arc essential j for air transport. Large initial outlay is. involved, and the routes govern this' expenditure. Surveys may not be as important in fixing routes for air lines as for railways, but they are still indispensable.

For a trunk service the natural route seems to be one which would link together the four cities and include Pahnerston North to junction with branch lines to the east and west. Why has the Transport Co-ordination Board decided otherwise? By decreeing that the trunk route should skirt the west coast from here to Wellington it not only side-tracks Pahnerston North, but shuts its eyes to the, claims of Hawkc's Bay. Partly Hawke's Bay claims would be met by the shorter southern service, with Palmerston North as its terminus, but the Auckland air connection with the east coast would be as roundabout and inconvenient as could possibly be imagined. The greater part of the North Island would be inadequately served. This alone is sufficient ground for asking the air licensing authority to reopen the whole question and to give an opportunity for a more complete and open discussion of the reasons for and against including Palmerston North in the longer route.