EAST COAST AIRWAYS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12603, 12 July 1935, Page 7

EAST COAST AIRWAYS

. APPLICATION FOR. AIR TAXI LICENSE. GISBORNE TO. ANY PART OP N.Z BOARD FAVORABLE BUT DECISION DEFERRED. At a- -sitting of the Transport P.oarcl ip Napier on Tuesday, East Coast Always, • Ltd., applied fur pn s>u-.iaxi license from Gisborne, ijapier, oi Hastings, aerodromes to n-ny part ot New Zealand. A letter was read from New Zealand Airways, Ltd.', asking that the application be adjourned pending further developments. ■ A letter was also read in iwhich Greater Pacific Airways, Ltd., indicated that they- had no: desire to oppose ■ the application. . Mr Nolan, c-f Gisborne, appeared <•« behalf of East Coast Airways, Ltd., and Mr. O’Dowd', of -Hastings, was present to watch the interests of the Hawke’s Bay arid East- Const A< i° Club. , Mr. Nolan was proceeding to outline reasons iwby th.o application shotiM he granted when the chairman fed Stephen Allen, intimated that the hoard, was prepared to grant a license hut would defer decision in order that board member,s could confer regarding restrictions that it might ho disposed to impose. The hoard was also concerned. with the proposed fares. Mr. Nolan -slated that his clients were prepared to confine their activities to the North Island during -such tim 0 n,s they were operating only two machines. With regard to charges it rv ri s proposed that for charter work tih-o minimum charge would be £8 ” flying hour. It might- later on he. reduced. East Coast Airways were applying for the license because it u-;i s felt that in the summer months particularly there would be a demand for charter trips even as lap as Christchurch. Mr. Johnstone: During Grand National Week, for example. Air. Nolan: 1 had that in mind, sjL Continuing, Mr. Nolan said' that V wa.s alsoi expected that there would bo a. demand for trips to Taupe and Rotorua. Mr. O’Dowd said that the Hawke’ s Bay and East Const Aer 0 Club was principally concerned with the. matter of fares. At the present time all the aero clubs held air taxi licenses. Th° Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club operated one and two-passenger planes, and the charges were £3 per 100 miles for cne-passenger planes and £3 10s per 1G0 1 miles for twopassenger machines. The club had 110 intention cf opposing the application before the hoard. Th.fi hoard adjourned to- -Wellington from which centre its derision will ho communicated.