Project talks confirmed

Press, 13 March 1986, Page 2

Project talks confirmed

The Newmans Group, Ltd, has confirmed that discussions have been held with interested parties, including Ansett, for a main trunk project by Newmans Air.

A report in "The Press” yesterday said that financial backing for a planned, but yet unconfirmed, expansion of Newmans Air could be provided by the Union Steam Ship Company. It quoted the Union Company’s chairman, Sir Peter Abeles, as saying it would be prepared to inject money into Newmans to allow it to buy new, aircraft.

Mr R. E. Loach, managing director of Newmans Group, yesterday welcomed Sir Peter’s comments, but emphasised that nothing was finalised yet.

However, the issue would be determined much earlier than the six

months Sir Peter mentioned. Newmans’ initial aims in the tourist market were to provide a modern competitive service against another private enterprise company, said Mr Loach. That company (Mount Cook) is now managed on a daily basis by Mr Norman Geary, the managing director of Air New Zealand, and this leadership was in direct opposition to previous statements by Air New Zealand that Mount Cook would remain an independent company, Mr Loach’s statement said.