AIRWAY EXTENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 241, 8 July 1938, Page 6

AIRWAY EXTENSIONS

Inclusion Of Golden Bay And Westport

COOK STRAIT SERVICE Several extensions are being planned for Cook .Strait Airways mail and passenger services between Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson and Greymouth. Following the construction of new aerodromes at: Nelson, Takaka and Westport, it is expected that next summer a daily service will operate between Nelson and Takaka, 69 miles northwest of Nelson by road. The schedule of the present tri-weekly service between Nelson and Greymouth will be amended to include Westport as a stopping place, and will be extended to provide daily connections between Nelson, Westport and Greymouth. Cook Strait Airways operate four D.H. Dragon Rapides on existing services and the fleet averages about 1000 miles a day. A landing ground has been developed two miles from Takaka, in tlie direction of Tarakohe, and the proposed extension of the present chain of airways to include Golden Bay will serve a wide area of country, including Onekaka. The diftrict is now reached by a daily road service and occasional steamers. Air transport will bring settlers who for many vears were practically isolated within easy reach of Wellington and other centres.

The new landing ground opened at Westport recently is suitable for training purposes and light aircraft only. A second aerodrome for heavier machines is now being prepared. Situated on the north side of the Buller River, the new site is covered with scrub, and clearing operations were started early this week by tlie Public Works Department. Although the actual development of the aerodrome will take a considerable time, a north-east and south-west landing strip 900 yards long is lieing prepared for use next summer.

Since tlie Hokitika aerodrome was damaged by flood waters nearly two mouths ago Cook Strait Airways have operated as far as Greymouth only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The new schedule and a reduction In fares was approved by the Minister of Transport, Hon. R. Semple, this week. The following timetable for the Wel-lingtou-Nelsou-Grey mouth tri-weekly service now operates: Wellington depart 7.45 a.m.; Nelson arrive 8.30 a.m.; Nelson depart 8.45 a.m.; Greymouth arrive 10.15 a.m.; Greymouth depart 11.15 a.m.; Nelson arrive 12.45 p.m.; Nelson depart 1.15 p.m.; Wellington arrive 2 p.m. The single fare from Wellington to Greymouth has been reduced from £5 15/- to £5/10/-, and the single fare be tween Nelson and Greymouth from £4 5/- to £3/5/-. It is stated that the re duction was made possible because the weather has not compelled aireraf* flying between Nelson and Greymouth to take tlie long coastal route via Farewell Spit as often as was expected. Normally, when the ceiling is not too low and good visibility obtains, the machines take the direct overland route over Murchison and Reefton.

The aerodrome at Stoke, six miles from Nelson, will be replaced a few months hence by a larger landing ground on the waterfront and just under five miles from Nelson. With excellent approaches and free from obstructions, the new aerodrome will have a runway of 1100 yards. It is being constructed by the Public Works Department and the Nelson Harbour Board is contributing toward the cost. In about three weeks Cook Strait Airways will begin the construction of modern workshops on the new site and (luring August the hangars at Stoke will be transferred to the larger aerodrome.