Fares on Cook Strait Airways

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 119, 21 May 1936, Page 7

Fares on Cook Strait Airways

PROPOSED INCREASE OBJECTED TO Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, Last Night. Following representations already made to the Minister for authority to increase the passenger fare between Blenheim and Wellington from Ho/-, to 30/-, a representative of Cook Strait Airways this afternoon conferred with the Blenheim Borough Council and the Marlborough Progress League which had protested against the company’s original proposal of a fare of 35/when the service was first inaugurated.

The company’s representative with tho object of gaining llic local bodies' support for the proposed revised fare submitted details of the financial result of the first quarter’s operations, stressing that the company was losing money at the late of approximately £SOOO annually, making an ■ increase between Blenheim and Wellington justified. Incidentally, ho mado recognition of the Alarlborough .community’s airmindedness which exceeded that of any other part of the Dominion and resulted iu really excellent support for tho service. While appreciating the difficulties confronting the company the local body representatives still considered the increase not justified as Blenheim was making full use of the service and in fact it would be able to provide passengers for at least two extra planes daily. Further, it was considered that four months’ service had bceu operating for an insufficient time to determine the adequacy or otherwise of the fares.