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Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1928, Page 4

In connection with aviation at Home, a remarkable new step towards the promotion of civil aviation has been taken by the Air Ministry. The Alinistry has addressed a letter to the town clerks of the chief provincial cities and towns asking them to consider the advisability of establishing municipal aerodromes with as little delay as po»sible. The letter says: “The development of internal flying is almost entirely dependent on the provision of aerodromes at large centres. The provision of aerodromes and auxiliary services by air must necessarily, if only on the grounds of capital cost, be confined to terminal points on the trunk route. The establishment of a network ol aerodromes throughout the country to serve the general purposes of internal flying must devolve on the local authorities. who may, indeed, expect to benefit ultimately by the traffic and commerce which will follow the provision of tlies facilities. It is the opinion of the Air Council that every town of any importance will sooner or later find it just as essential to possess wollsited aerodromes as u does to-day to possess railway stations, roads and garages.” This appeal to municipal authorities is reinforced by a statement of the progress made by the regular British air service. These consist at present of Hie operation of the cross-channel air routes and of the route between Cairo and Basra. The growth of tlie traffic on the crosseliannel air services is showing a marked increase. In 1.927 British machines carried 16.533 passengers, compared with 5256 in 1921. Notwithstanding keen competition hv four foreign air lines operating to Croydon from various parts of the Continent, it is pointed out that the British machines arc carrying By far the largest manlier of passengers. In 1927 Belgian machines carried 1190. French 5199, German 1972, and Netherlands 3586.