AIR MAILS

Grey River Argus, 12 August 1935, Page 5

AIR MAILS

IN SOUTH WESTLAND. The loads of air mail carried in South Westland by Air Travel (N.Z.) Ltd, continue to show the remarkable increase that has been taking place ever aince the service began according to Mr. J. C. Mercer, pilot and manag ing director of the company. Last month the mail load carried was again a record. The total for the month was 16501 b. more than a third as much again as the average for the previous three months which was in turn double the 6001 b, average load fui each of the first three months of the service. Tn addition a considerable quantity of freight is carried in the company’s Fox Moth between Hoki tika. Haast, Okuru and Bruce Day. the pos*t offices served, and other South Westland settlements. Last Tuesday Mr. Mercer flew from Hokitika to Okuru. on to Big Bay, <ncar Milford Sound, and back to Okuru for the night. On a later morning he flew to Big Bay again. looking for landing grounds, and then took Mr D Nolan, a settler, and a. friend, over Mr. Nolan’s property at Cascade. There half a hundredweight of food was dropped for men working on the p’ace Normally food is taken in by packhorses*, which make the trip in two days each way. The aeroplane was back at Okuru 45 minutes after if left and then Mr. Mercer flew tn Chris’church.