IN THE AIR AND OUT OF IT

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 8

IN THE AIR AND OUT OF IT

! Air services in New Zealand have now been running on a sufficiently large scale and over a long enough period, for an idea to be obtained of the future prospects of aviation in this country; The longest route —-by NUnion Airways between Palmerston North and Dunedin —has been served with practically 100 per cent, regularity, but the patronage so far, in passengers and freight, seems hardly adequate to the service .offered. The route, however, is not an ideal one. While it includes the two principal cities of the South Island, it leaves out both Wellington and Auckland in the north* UntiJ these are included, it would be unfair to judge the prospects of aviation in New Zealand by the commercial results of the existing trunk, service. On the oljher hand, the Cook Strait service, between Wellington and Blenheim and Nelson, has been fully patronised and has amply justified itself. The Minister of Transport has now before him an application to operate a North Island trunk service from Auckland to Wellington, via New Plymouth and Palmerston North, where a connection would be made with the existing service to the South Island, if it were possible to arrange a satisfactory time-table. ■.This could be done on the northward trip, but not on the1 southbound. The Auckland Chamber. of' Commerce very naturally objects and suggests including Auckland in the trunk service and giving Wellington a connection, as at present, via Blenheim. Tlys, of course, would not suit Wellington. The whole trouble lies in the inadequacy of the Rongotai 'airport for the larger machines used on the trunk run. Progress at Rongotai is very sloav and there is a feeling among the public that the authorities have not complete confidence in their plans for extension. The question of the future of Rongotai will have to be settled quite definitely before the future of Wellington in the air services of the Dominion can be considered.