R.N.Z.A.F. TRANSPORT SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25091, 24 January 1947, Page 2

R.N.Z.A.F. TRANSPORT SERVICE

PASSENGER SCHEDULE CONTINUED HEAVY BOOKINGS FOR JANUARY The normal passenger schedule on the R.N.Z.A.F. transport service between Christchurch and the North Island will be operated at least until the end of February, according to instructions which have been received at Christchurch from the Air Department. It had previously been thought that the scheme might be, curtailed after the end of January. The Air Force transport officer at Christchurch said yesterday that bookings on the service had been extremely heavy during this month; but passengers would now be advised that they could reserve seats for the whole of February, although heavy bookings had already been received for some days of that month. Within the last few weeks a surprising number, of people had travelled by air from the North Island on single tickets and had found great difficulty in getting accommodation for the return journey. Evidently the. public had not fully realised that the service was operating well up to its present capacity, and that some care was needed in making travel arrangements. Instructions had also been received that after January 31 the concessions for air transport that had been available to servicemen in the possession of free rail warrants would no longer be in force. The arrangement had been that such servicemen applying for transport were accommodated with what vacancies occurred in the passenger lists. The passenger service was also becoming increasingly popular with elderly people and women with young children. For example, one' man aged 82 years had travelled to Wellington in one of the aircraft.

Trade had fluctuated when the freight service was first started, but , lately it had grown to a steady volume. Since about November 25 81,8201 b of freight had been consigned from Harewood to Auckland and Paraparaumu,* including the normal amounts that were carried on the passenger service. Consignments varied from such articles as radio sets, suites of furniture, and cargoes of yeast to quantities of coins and more perishable material like millinery and cut flowers and strawberries, cherries, peaches, and tomatoes. Some cargoes required extra care, like a recent shipment of hydrogen cylinders, which had to be well stowed. Engineers and manufacturers were also finding the service of value, for, almost every day, parts for cars and engines, and machinery of every description, were handled for various firms.