AIR SERVICE OVER ALPS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26857, 9 October 1952, Page 7

AIR SERVICE OVER ALPS

CHRISTCHURCH-COAST LINK WANTED LOCAL BODIES PROTEST AT DELAY (From Our Own Reporter) m TIMARU, October 8. The South Island Local Bodies’ Association is to protest to the Government at the delay in establishing the promised air service between Christchurch and the West Coast. This decision was made today at the annual conference of the association in Timaru, when delegates discussed a remit sponsored by Mr Mark Wallace (West Coast). Mr Wallace and other West Coast delegates emphasised that the West Coast had an excellent daily service between Hokitika and Westport, and with Wellington and Auckland, but few persons from the West Coast had any great desire to go to cities in the North Island. Their main interest, business and otherwise, was with and there was no direct air link with that city, they said. “The feeder services in the South Island are to be expanded in the near future, but there has been no reference to the West Coast-Christchurch service as promised by Sir Leonard Isitt some years ago,” said Mr Wallace. “We think the service would be most popular, and one of the best patronised in New Zealand. We know there are difficulties, but I have been told by experienced pilots that they are not insuperable ones. Sir Leonard Isitt, when he addressed us, did not say that great difficulties would be experienced. There is a splendid field at Hokitika, capable of handling any sized plane.” Support Wanted Mr Wallace said the time had arrived when the West Coast could ask for support from the rest of the South Island. He gave the daily time-table for flights between Hokitika, Paraparaumu and Auckland and return. The flights enabled a person to be in Wellington or Auckland within a few hours. “Not many of us want to go to Auckland. The only time we want to go to Wellington is to stir up the Government about the South Island. Our business interests lie in Christchurch, not in Wellington or Auckland,” he said. Sir Ernest Andrews (Christchurch) said the difficulties when flying the alps, as had been suggested in the past, were not serious at all. The aircraft did not have to fly over Mount Cook. Aircraft on the "Christ-church-Melbourne air route rarely required oxygen supplies, although it was available if wanted. They usually flew at between 8000 ft and 10,000 ft, and he thought that aircraft operating on the trans-alpine service could do likewise.