AVIATION IN N.Z.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 29 January 1936, Page 7

AVIATION IN N.Z.

BIRTH OF THE N.Z.A.F. RAPID GROWTH SINCE WAR WHAT THE YEAR BOOK SHOWS It is indicative of the, rapid strides that aviation has made a.s a result of the Great War that there were only two aviation companies in operation in New Zealaud during the war years and that it was necessary to pass an Act of Parliament to control flying in the Dominion only in the year the war finished. These facts and others, trac ing the development of flying in New Zealand, are given in the aviation and transport section of the 193(5 Year Book.

The two companies in operation during the war were for the purpose of obtaining pilots or conducting “joyriding” tours and flying exhibitions tiuoiigliout the country. The 191 Act empowned the Governor-Cciieral-in Council to make regulations for the licensing of aircraft and flying schools and for the issuing of flying certificates. In the next financial year, 1919-20, the Government voted £25,000 for aviation purposes, hut only £8368 was expended. It is also indicative of the embryonic state of flying in New Zealand at that time that the report states that “no definite aviation policy had been laid down at that time.” In 1920, however, an Air Board was set up to advise the Government. Existing aviation companies were then being run at a loss, partly as a result of the cessation of training pilots as candidates for the Royal Air Force; and it was deemed advisable to subsidise those companies in order to keep them in operation until plans for the future development of flying were definitely formulated. In September, 1920, an aviation policy was approved hv Cabinet Healing with matters of defence commercial undertakings and a edition generally. GROWTH OF CIVIL AVIATION

At the same time the Government recognised tin; iioetisity for commercial aviation as an essential part of the defence policy and arrangements were made for the loan of defence machines to civil companies for training purposes while a subsidy scheme was also brought into operation. In 1922-23 the three companies in existence received subsidies amounting to £2975 and in addition £2700 a,s payment for refresher courses carried out by Defence officers. ' A New Zealand Air Force was formed in June, 1923, an area being purchased at Hobsonville for tlio establishment of a Defence air base. Civil aviation in New Zealand, the Year Book adds, did not progress beyond the experimental stage until comparatively recently, a great handicap being the insufficiency of adequate and well-equipped landing grounds. In 1920. however, the Government passed legislation empowering local bodies to establish and maintain aerodromes and to charge for their use. This was due to a recognition that civil aviation was being retarded by the cost of providing adequate ground organisation. Four years later a scheme was approved by the Government for the establishment of a chain of landing grounds throughout New Zealand with the. double object of increasing the mobility and defensive power of the New Zealand Air Force and aiding civil aviation. IMPLICATION OF SCHEME The schemo involved the location and inspection of suitable sites along air routes with subsequent surveys and ground levelling by unemployed labour working under skilled supervision. “The scheme calls for the close co-operation of the Public Works Department, the Unemployment Board and the Director of Air Services, and involves the expenditure of additional moneys over and above the cost of labour supplied by the Unemployment Board, in order to provide for the cost of surveys, technical supervision, tools and special items incidental to the scheme,” the Year Book adds. These details are embodied in work already done and in progress, and 50 grounds in the North Island and 55 in the South have been investigated, 29 being either under construction or com-

pletcd, and 41 in the survey stage. Aviation at present is controlled by the Air Navigation Act, 1931, while civil aviation is subject to the Air Navigation Regulations, 1933, their administration being in the hands of the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. “The isolation of New Zealand has, up to the present proved a. bar to the linking up of this Dominion by air with the long-distance airways services of the world.” the report continues. The first attempt to fly the Tasman was the ill-fated attempt of Messrs Hood and Moncriell' in 1925, the tirst flight being made later in the same year by the late Sir Charles Kingsfonl Smith and party. Indications at present point to tiie .early establishment of a regular air service between Now Zealand and Australia, and also AmerM STATISTICAL INFORMATION ""

The Year Book then gives certain statistical information relative to the 1 development of air-mindedness in New j Zealand. As at 31st May last _ year 'there were 316 pilots with an A license and 56 with a B license. As showing the increased interest taken by the Government, expenditure was £8698 in 1930-31 and £11.310 in 1934-35. A total of £12,452 lias been given in subsidies to aero clubs, the number at present receiving assistance being 10. The report then deals with commercial air transport, giving details of companies operating in New Zealand, with regulations for their control. Licenses permitting the operation of regular scheduled services have been granted by the Transport Co-ordination Board to five companies, while* air taxi licenses have been issued to three. In addition, special air taxi licenses have been granted to all aero clubs. In 1920 and 1921 several experimental air services were operated, and dur ing 1931 and 1932 a number of special air mail flights were carried out by arrangement with the New Zealand Air Mail League. In the past three years several special air mail flights have been made, in particular those across the Tasman Sea.