REQUEST DECLINED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 21 May 1936, Page 2

REQUEST DECLINED

COOK STRAIT AIRWAYS WELLING TON -1 iL E Nll lil M FARE (By Telegraph—Press Association! BLENHEIM, 20i!i May. Following representations already made to the Minister *oi' Transport for authority to inerea.se the passenger fare between Blenheim and Wellington from 25s to 30s, 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 oss "when the service was firstinaugurated. The company’s representative. with the object of gaining the local bodies’ support for the proposed revised fare, submitted details of tlie financial result of tiie first quarters operations, .stressing the fact that the company was losing money at'the rate of approximately £SOOO annually, making an increase on the Blenheim-Wel-lington fare justified. Incidentally he paid recognition to the Marlborough community's air-iniudediiess, which excedecd that of any other part of the Dominion and had resulted ill really excellent support for the service. When appreciating the difficulties confronting tiie company, the local body representatives still considered an increase not justified, as Blenheim was making full use of the service. In fact, it. would be able to provide passengers for at least two extra planes daily. Further, it was considered that four months’ operation of the service was insufficient time to determine the adequacy or otherwise of the fares.