New Air Service Inauguration To-morrow

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 149, 25 June 1937, Page 11

New Air Service Inauguration To-morrow

SCHEDULE RUNNING COMMENCES ON SUNDAY HON. F. JONES TO PERFORM CEREMONY m"n* new service to be conducted by cnxon Airways between Auckland and •Wellington will be officially inaugurated to-morrow morning at Mangere aerodrome, Auckland. The Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, and the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, will take part in the ceremony, the mayor christening the 'plane, probably the Kotare, and Mr Jones declaring the service open. The other Lockheed Electra will leave Wellington, the Mayor of Welj lingtou, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, performing the christening ceremony. The Ac ting-Prime Minister, Hon. P. Fraser, will inaugurate the service and lion. R. Semple will cut the release ribbon. Sir Alexander Roberts, a director, will reply on behalf of the company. The '"planes will meet at Milson about noon and a luncheon will be hold at the Grand Hotel. A number of guests will be present from Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and New Plymouth, the centres at which the new air servico • will touch. Mr. <J. G. White, actingchairman, will preside at the luncheon, when speakers will include Alessrs. Fraser, bemple and Jones. On its first flight in the new service from Auckland the monoplane will have Commander 13. A. Blythe, chief pilot ot Union Airways, at the controls, with Commander G. K. White as eo-pilot. Commanders A. G. Gerrand and C. M. Duthie will bring the 'plane from Wellington. Guests on the south-bound trip will include the Hon. F. Jones, Mr. F. AU and Mr. W. L. Wiseman, captain of the Auckland Aero Club. The Acting-Prime Minister, tho Hon. P. * Fraser, will be a passenger on the retarn to Auckland. Christening the 'Planes. The 'plane which will be used from this end will be flown from Palmerston North to Auckland to-day. On Saturday morning at Mangere, as at Wellington, the monoplane will have a New Zealand Ensign draped over its name and a ribbon will be stretched across the runway. At 9 a.m. the guests will assemble and, on behalf of the company, will be welcomed by Messrs C. G. White, a director of Union Airways, and C. B. V. Wheeler, the Auckland manager. The Mayor will bo asked at 9.30 a.m. to christen tho 'plane, the ensigns being released by the pulling of a ribbon, and at 9.40 tho Hon. F. Jones will inaugurate the service by cutting the ribbon across tho runway, tho pilots completing the ceremony by taxi-ing the 'plane through the ribbon. All. White will then reply to the speeches , pn behalf of the company. At 10 a.m. the guests will board the u plane, en route for Palmerston North. Two passengers will be picked up at New Plymouth, where the 'piano will he welcomed by tho Mayor, Mr. Gibson. The Wellington 'plane will leave Rongotai at 11 a.m., and it is probaole that the two Lockheeds will arrive practically together at Palmerston North. The Wellington-Auckland ’plane, probably the Kuaka, is scheduled to leave for Auckland after the official luncheon at 2 p.m., and is due about 4 pjn. The regular passenger service will be In operation the following day, 'planes leaving Auckland and Wellington at noon on a three-hour schedule between the cities, stopping off for ten minates at New' Plymouth and Palmerston North. On the northern run tfae service will connect at Palmerston North with the South Island service, so that , a passenger can leave Dunedin in the morning and bo in Auckland at 3 p.m.