GROWTH OF AIR TRANSPORT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22496, 2 September 1938, Page 15

GROWTH OF AIR TRANSPORT

EXTENSIONS FORECAST

REPORT TO PARLIAMENT

Grom Our Parliamentary Reporter.!

. WELLINGTON, September 1. > “With the completion of new aerodromes and the improvement of existing ones it is anticipated that extensions to present air-lines and some enr. tirely new main or feeder services will he placed in operation during the summer of 1938-39,” said the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), in the annual report of his department table'd in the House .of • Representatives this afternoon. To,illustrate the steady growth of air traffic, the Minister gave the fbllowing • returns "of passengers, freights, and mails carried on the regular services for three-monthly periods:— Quarter No. of pas- Freight, Mail, ended. sengers. lb, . lb. March 31, 1936 5,440 7,090 6.400 June 30, 1936 .. 5,050 8,500 19,900 Rept. 30. 1936 ~ 4,750 8,660 25,550 Dec. 31, 1936 .. 6,130 13,770 33,560 Msrch 31. 1937 8,386 13,180 32,340 Jt’jje AO, 1937 .. 7,351 16,500 36,800 aT.pt. 30. 1937 .. 9,873 17,700 48,100 we. 31. 1937 .. 12,600 27,700 68,500 *«torch 31, 1938 13,958 29,800 62,800 A notable feature, the Minister commented, had been the regularity and safety achieved, and the small num- . her of. schedule runs cancelled. Major activities of the department had included improvements to aerodromes and the establishment of radio facilities. The large expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force' establishment had also involved much work.