AIR SERVICE ROUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 198, 20 July 1935, Page 2

AIR SERVICE ROUTE

INCLUSION OF MILSON. APPLICATION TO BE MADE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 19. An application for an amendment to the recent decision of the Transport Co-ordination Board which excluded Palmerston North from the trunk air route of Great Pacific Airways (N.Z.), Ltd., has been forwarded to the board by Trevor S. Withers, organiser of the company. The decision to make the application followed receipt of information which, according to Mr G. W. Hutchison, chairman of directors of Aviation Development, Ltd., made it clear that final decisions of the board relative to air service licenses were capable of amendment by the board, although apparently no appeal could be made against such decisions. Information was received by the directors to-day that the board had recently amended its final decision relative to the license granted to Union Airways, Ltd., by including Blenheim as a port of call upon that company’s air route, Mr Hutchison said. This amendment was made by the simple expedient of a board minute, and Union Airways will accordingly now be allowed to include Blenheim as an airport upon its Palmerston North-Dun-edin service, instead of having to operate a direct service between Palmerston North and Christchurch, as provided in the board’s original decision. “The precedent thus created by the board establishes beyond all doubt the fact that the board can, if it deems such a course to be in the public interest. give further consideration to the inclusion of Palmerston North upon the trunk route of Great Pacific_ Airways, and that it can by a minute amend its recent decision in this connection and include Palmerston North in Great Pacific Airways’ license,’'’ said Mr Hutchison. “The directors accordingly have instructed Mr Withers to apply to the board immediately with a view to having the question of Palmerston North further investigated at a public sitting of the board.” He added that he was confident that the board would, in view of the many emphatic protests voiced at the exclusion of Palmerston North-from the Auckland-Dunedin air route, be prepared to give the question the further j investigation it so obviously demanded. Since those interested in Great Pacific Airways did not oppose the amendment of the board’s final decision relating to the inclusion of Blenheim in the Union Airways route, it. was suggested that no opposition by Union Airways Ltd. in regard to Palmerston North should now be expected. FUTURE TRANSPORT. GROWTH OF AVIATION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 19. At my age I shall not much longer j occupy my present position of chairman of the Union Steam Ship Company. It may seem humorous to some,” said Sir James mills, chairman of directors of the Union Steam Ship Coy., of N.Z. Ltd., speaking as a guest of honour at a gathering of members of the Merchant Service Guild to-day, “that this old salt-water company should be taking to the air. There is no doubt in my mind, however, that the major transport seiwices of the future, as far as passengers and mails are concerned, will be in the air. Aeroplanes are developing very rapidly, not only in speed but also in carrying capacity, and the main services to be rendered by ships in the future will he cargo-carrying and the cheaper sections of the passenger traffic. The march of science today makes one think that, before very long, we shall not only he able to converse freely with friends at a distance but will also see them at the same time.” (Laughter.)