TRUNK AIR SERVTCES

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 9

TRUNK AIR SERVTCES

Appl Teat ions for Lfcences v

The Transport Co-ordination Board, consisting of Sir Stephen Allen (chairman) and Messrs. H.E.S, Joftnetone and L. Alderton, yesterday heard etatementß and-evidence regarding the applications of Uriion Airways of New Zealand, Ltd., Great jpacific Afrwayß, (New Zealand) Ltd., and New"Zealand Airways Ltd. for licences to operate the New Zealand main trunk air service. Mr. G.-b*. Pindlay, for Great Pacific Airways. Ltd.- the amalgamated New Zealand Airlines (New Plymouth) and Dominion Airways (Auckland) -submitted that New Zealand Airways (Dunedin) had not the financial standing nor the experience essential to the full conduct of such a service. Great Pacific Airways was a company proposed to be formed, but it waß a very real entity. It would be governed by a directorate of four New Zealanders and two Australians, who would be Mr. E.T. Pisk, probably Australia's leading busi-v ness nan, and for the time being Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. The proportion of directors would be retained. Later there would probably be five Hew Zealand directors. The scheme wae the out--come of the joint reports of the late Mr. C.T.f.Ulm and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. Mr. Fiskwas regarded as the greatest Imperialist in Australia, and his association with New Zealand represented only the initial step of a far flung Imperial service, not only to Australia and New Zealand, but witn tne ifceific Islands and Canada. Mr.1 Pindlay disclaimed that the company was an Australian company; it waß entirely a New Zealand venture. The initial capital of £60,000 was available in Australia immediately, but that represented only the sum by which the, shareholding was to be underwritten. It was proposed that the total capital should be £100,000. Mr. Findlay said that the Union Steanship Company cried out against Australian money, but in. fact, though the Union Steamship Company had a board of directors and a managing director, they were the nominees of the English capitalists who owned the ordinary Bhares of the company. The Union Steamship 'Company was controlled from England and had in New Zealand an impotent board of directors.

THE PART OR THE WHOLE? The Union Company asked for a licence for a service from palmers ton North to D.uned in; Great i«cif icf Airy/ays proposed to se,rve from Auckland to Dunedin, and possibly Invercargill. Kr.Findlay BUi,t;est.ed that Wellington was not included - and • raignt never be included - in tne Union Company's schei'ie, because the company was primarily interested in preserving the ferry service. A satisfactory service could be given tfcrougn Wellington, with.-an alternative landing ground wit/iin 30,0r 40.miles to provide for tne 1C per cent, of bad days; through passengers would not be affected at all. The objection ,to Rongotai, he maintained, v/as unreal. The Union Steamship Company, under the name* of Cook Strait Airways Ltd., had already taken a licence to fly across Cook Strait and the'larger. and better planes for the trunk service would be <better fitted for working Rongotai. Mr. tfindlay then dealt with proposals as to > [feeder services in the north and the benefit to mail carriage and tourist traffic and also defence and emergency services from a complete service. He aj.ao spoke of the opposition there must be to the payment of.a subsidy if large centres were left out of the trunk service. ■ To attempt to co-ordinate aeroplane with train was simply to produce a mixture of good and bad where no bad need exist. Kr. Findlay said that his company brought, down a definite scheme and could give the fullest guarantees the board could ask; the Union Steamship Con.pany brought merely a pious hope. Great pacificAirways had one aim only. The Union Steamship Company would serve two masters, for its capital was in shipping and its air services must necessarily be made subservient to its shipping interests. HOURS OP ARRIVAL IN SOUTH. Mr. C.G. White, for the Union Stear.Bhip company said that the timetable of Great Pacific Airways did not interest the Post and Telegraph Department as . offering an advantage in regard to mails, and the hourß of arrival of planes in southern centres^ would be of no benefit to business people, who would be suited much better by the Unicn Company's scheme. The control of Great' Pacific Airways would definitely remain in Australia; 59 per cent of the capital would never be available in New . Zealand. He'took the strongest objection .to the statement that the board of managers was impotent. It carried out the policy of the Unicn Steamship Company and was not interfered with in any.way. RONGOTAI NOT PIT AT PRESEKT. His company was honest enough to say that it would not go in to Rongotai until it was safe and fit to go into. The scheme proposed would coordinate effectively with a good night train Ber.vice and, as had already been indicated, the company would.after perhapß six months/arrange for an extension of service to meet requirements. * The long route from Auckland.could not be covered at present at a price which would be an economic possibility, o or with a timetable that would give the same convenience as that proposed by the Union Company. They considered that the stage aßked for was the proper economic stage and that the service should be gradually extended< to a full trunk service. / ;; : NEW ZEALAND AIRWAY 6 * POLICY. New Zealand Airways (Dunedin) then added to the evidence given at the laßt sitting of the board, Mr. H.'j.'Ktiight handing and other facts to the board. / Mr. H.M. Mackay, managing director, said that it was proposed to concentrate on freight and mails for the firat three• months to give the public full confidence. He had had an offer' of technical advice from Imperial Airways. /His capital was adequate to provide for the landing of the machines. He was committed to purchase Boeings, but would arrange for multi-engined machines over Cook Strait. Captain H.U.Talbot-Lehmann, chief pilot and technical, adviser to the company, said that he had been flying for 20 years and had flown 76 types , of machines, single and multi-engined. The Boeing 40-H4'B which it was proposed to use were entirely! British, and not American machines, manufactured in Canada. They had a'wonderful record of reliability and had flown fifteen million miles of night flying without a single structural failure. He considered them most reliable', rugged and strong and economical in operation and maintenance. Their pay load was 2000 pounds, equal to that of the Vildebeest, and they were readily converted to, military purposes. To suggest that they were obsolete was entirely incorrect. , Captain Talbot-Lehmann spoke at length of the advantages in flexibility of service of a number of small machines over fewer large machines, and said that he was completely confident of the reliability of this single-engined aeroplane.