AIR SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 14 November 1934, Page 7

AIR SERVICE

; , FOR SOUTH WESTLAND ■ NEW COMPANY’S PROGRAMME An aeroplane passenger and mail service will begin operations in South Westland, on 18th December, it was announced by Mr J. C. Mprcer, managingdirector and pilot to Air Travel (New Zealand), Ltd., the company which lias been formed for the purpose (reports the “Christchurch Times”). It is intended to make the northern terminus of the service at either Inchbonnie or Hokitika, and to go down as far as the Haast Pass A dozen or more landing grounds have been prepared along the route, and others are being planned. The service will be run to meet passenger requirements. The company, which lias had its name changed from Tourist Air Travel and Transport Service Co., will use a new cabin Fox Moth, which is expected to arrive from England at the bcginniifg of December. It is a speed model, and, although capable of seating three passengers and a- pilot, will only be used to carry two passengers and their luggage, owing to the fact that small landing grounds would make it difficult to take off with a bigger load. Mr Mercer said that the company was co-operating with the Railway Department to the fullest extent, and hooking arrangements were to be made through the railway. Passengers could meet the ’plane either at Inchbonnie or Hokitika, but, if the weather was adverse at Inchbonnie, Hokitika- would be used for the take-off. MAIL CONTRACT The securing of the mail contract, he said, would mean a great deal to the people.of South Westland. Ordinarily it. took four days fo-’ letters to get from Hokitika to tho Haast, or longer in wet weather when streams were floodedBy air the Haast could be reached in an hour and a-half. Passengers, if they wished, could make the trip to the Franz Josef Glacier in the one day, leaving Christchurch by train in the morning, flying to the glacier for afternoon tea, and be back in time to catch the train hack.

Mr Mercer was emphatic that there would bo no flying across the Southern Alps. It was too uncertain, he said, unless a system of radio beacons were established, and that would not come in New Zealand for some time yet. Flying on the West Coast was extremely safe, lie continued, and the danger of having to make a. forced landing was not nearly so great as was believed. Flying at 2000 feet, it was possible anywhere on tlie Coast to make a good landing either on tho beaches or on the easy shingle of a river-bed Mr Mercer added that tho company’s mail service would he one of the few air mail services in tho British Empire which operated without subsidy. The directorate of the company is as follows: Messrs H. W. Worrall (Christchurch), P. E. H. Renton (Hokitika), H. Newman (Hokitika), and J. C. Mercer, managing-director and pilot. The secretary is Mr A. 0. Wilkinson, o r Christchurch.