TRUNK AIR SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 114, 7 February 1935, Page 9

TRUNK AIR SERVICE

Board Reserves Its Decision

N.Z. AIRWAYS’ PLANS Hearing of Evidence Completed Evidence regarding the operation of a trunk air service through New Zealand was beard by the Transport Coordination Board yesterday. In reference to New,,-Zealand. Airways’ application for an Auckland-In-vercargill service, Mr. H. M. Mackay, managing director of the company, was examined by the chairman, Sir Stephen Allen. The machines he was using at present had British certificates of airworthiness, Mr. Mackay said. Tim Boeings bad been used in America as mail carriers, but were being replaced by faster machines. . Sir Stephen said that if any company were granted a license from the main trunk route, he, personally, would not like to see an American company get a monopoly of the machines, put into, commission. e The board then produced a technical report from the Controller of Civil Aviation, and read an extract which stated that the Boeings were obsolete. They would be useless for defence purposes, Possibly they might have been bought at bargain prices. Mr. Mackay replied that the Boeing aircraft were no ihore obsolescent than any other aircraft in New Zealand today. The Defence Department had several Moths and Puss Moths and found them very useful. Mr. C. G. White, for the Union Company, showed the board that the Boeing catalogue furnished was dated 1930. When Can You Start? Mr. Mackay: That is the date of design, not the date the machines were built. Sir Stepheu Allen asked how soon the Union Company could commence flying operations. The board wanted to be sure that the license, if it were granted, would be used, for a service, and not to hold up others while representations were made to the Government for a subsidy. Mr. White said that immediately a license was granted to his company, experts would be sent to England to purchase the very latest type of machines. Sir Stejphen: Can you fix a definite date on which you could bring your service into operation? Mr. White: The end of September. Answering a similar question, Mr. Withers said that Dominion Airways did not anticipate starting before the end of December. Sir Stephen: When do you think you could start, Mr. Nielson? Mr. Nielson: Equally as soon as any concern. Sir Stephen: That does not answer my question. Mr. Nielson: The service could, be operating by December. In the afternoon Sir Stephen Allen asked Mr. Withers to state his ease as if a postponement were not going to be granted. Mr. Withers reviewed the plans of' Dominion Airways, and was crossexamined at length by Mr. White. The board adjourned, Sir Stephen Allen stating that it would reserve its decision. It would deliver some of its decisions at noon to-day, but not on the question of the trunk service.