WELLINGTON-SYDNEY AIR SERVICE WITH FLYING-BOATS: PLAN UNDER REVIEW

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22657, 7 June 1948, Page 4

WELLINGTON-SYDNEY AIR SERVICE WITH FLYING-BOATS: PLAN UNDER REVIEW

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, June 7. The "Wellington correspondent of the New Zealand Herald says it is understood that plans are being considered for a new 'ngton and Sydney to be operated ted, early next year as soon as the re delivei’ed.

Tasman air service between Well by Tasman Empire Airways, Lim: Solent flying-boats now on order

If the plans are adopted there will be a reduction in the service between Auckland and Sydney, one flight in four being diverted to the southern service

The correspondent says the suggestion is for the new aircraft to operate between Evans Bay, Wellington, and Rose Eay, Sydney. The Wellington-Sydney service will be to meet the growing demand for a more direct link between southern centres and Australia, as it is unlikely that plans for a Chrlstchurch-Sydney service will come to fruition for some years.

The new service, is is proposed, will be so timed as to enable a Solent to leave Wellington in the morning after the arrival from Lyttelton of the interisland ferry steamer Arrivals from Sydney at Evans Bay would be arranged to give passengers for the south time to join the steamer for Lyttelton the same night.

No word has yet been received by Tasman Empire Airways, Limited from the Civil Aviation Branch of the Air Department concerning the return of the certificates of airworthiness for the company’s four Tasman-class flyingboats, which have now been idle for three and a-half months.

Three of the aircraft have been modified and are lying at their moorings in Auckland, and the fourth, the Australia, is now in the repair depot hangar at Hobsonville, where modifications are being finished in conjuction with work which has to be done normally for a certificate of airworthiness.

Since the Union Company’s vessel Wahine wa s withdrawn from the Tasman shipping run last month, the only regular passenger service to Australia has been that maintained by Skymaster planes chartered from Australian National Airways. It is estimated that several thousands of people are waiting for transport across the Tasman, and officials of Tasman Empire Airways are now undertaking a survey to ascertain what will be the demands of the public during the next few months. All four of the company’s planes were withdrawn from service on February 23 for engine modifications following overheating in some conditions of flight. This work has been done in Auckland, and one machine, the New Zealand, was flown to Australia in April to undergo test flights jn Melbourne and Sydney. Reports of the tests made in Australia and New Zealand are now In the hands of the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation, Mr. Jones CANTERBURY’S CLAIM “Old Chaucer wrote something about pilgrims from the world’s end wending their way to Canterbury.” said Mr. W. Machin, at the annua] meeting of the Canterbury Progress League at Christchurch. To attract visitors to this province it was essential in modern times to have an efficient overseas air terminal within the area, he said, commending the claims of Harewood.

A titled visitor and his wife will have at least one vivid recollection of hotel service in New Zealand. They were staying at the Waitomo Caves hostel and were startled one morning, When neither was fully dressed, by a maid who burst into their bedroom without knocking and said, “Arc you people staying tonight?”