Minister Blamed For Loss Of Oamaru’s Air Service

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 10

Minister Blamed For Loss Of Oamaru’s Air Service

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, June 25. A clear announcement of the Government’s policy on air services in New Zealand was called for by the Mayor (Mr W. R. Laney) at the monthly meeting of the Oamaru Borough Council. He said that the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr T. P. Shand) was responsible for Oamaru’s having lost its air service as a result of the action of the National Airways Corporation in, applying for and securing a licence to operate into Timaru. The council decided to co-oper-ate with other local bodies in an effort to have Oamaru linked with the N.A.C. network. Mr Laney said that the Minister had in his statements shrewdly avoided the main issue, that being the manner of the elimination of Trans-Island Airways, Ltd., which, he said, now appeared to be a manifestation of the policy of the Minister. This being so, he must accept full responsibility for it. There was every indication that the granting of a licence to N.A.C. to go into Timaru was a foregone conclusion and he was satisfied, he said, that the hearing at Timaru was a mere formality. There was no evidence to show that T.I.A. had nqt been giving a satisfactory service, but there was evidence to show that the company was prepared to give an improved service. There was no evidence other than that of population to indicate that N.A.C. was justified in going into Timaru. Mr Laney said it was evident now that there had been no consideration of possible repercussions on other centres, such as Dunedin. “Brusquely Set Aside” “We, in Oamaru, put our case which, though reasonable, was brusquely set aside,” he said. “It matters not who made the decision—the fact is that it is the Minister’s responsibility. I respectfully suggest that he examine the evidence given before the

Authority and decide for himself whether justice was done. “It was not the difficulties that T.I.A. had to face that eliminated it—it was the Government-ap-pointed Air Services Licensing Authority.” Mr Laney said.’ “What is the policy of the Government with respect to air services in New Zealand? Is the Minister quite happy to see private companies controlling feeder services, or is it, as the Minister stated to me personally, that there is room in New Zealand for only one company, and that is N.A.C.?

“If that is the case—and it would appear to be so—then in all fairness, let the Minister say so publicly, and let the Government accept full responsibility for seeing that the whole country gets the benefit of modern air travel.

“Such a policy is much more to be desired than a two-faced policy of encouraging . private enterprise in theory and eliminating it in practice. “Does the Government stand for a fair deal for private enterprise, or is it to be tolerated only where expedient?”

Record Tourist Year

The tourist trade in New Zealand is now in the “million dollar’’ group. Dollar exchange earned by the industry in 1956-57 reached 1,028.386 dollars, compared with 651,915 dollars the previous financial year, a rise of 57 per cent. During 1956-57, 27,979 visitors came to New Zealand, an increase of 5111, or 18 per cent, over the previous financial year. These visitors spent £3,155,069, an increase of £759,222, or 31 per cent., over the previous year. In announcing these figures, the Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr D. J. Eyre) said he was confident that 1957-58 would show an even greater development of New Zealand’s tourist trade.