TRUNK AIR ROUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22059, 15 March 1935, Page 12

TRUNK AIR ROUTE

NORTHERN TERMINUS CLAIMS OF AUCKLAND PALMERSTON OPPOSED HEARING BY BOARD NEXT WEEK The alteration of tho northern terminus of .the proposed trunk air services to Auckland, instead of Palmerston North, as at present suggested, will be strongly urged by representatives of tho Auckland City Council and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce when the Transport Co-ordination Board resumes consideration of applications for licences for trunk air lines at Wellington next Thursday.

Tho proposal of the board to grant a licence for trunk air services between Palmerston North and Dunedin, thus leaving Auckland and other centres north of Palmerston North to be served by feeder lines, has been strongly condemned by Taranaki and Auckland interests. Apart from tho merits of any particular application for a trunk air service, it is pointed out that it is a matter of principle that provision should be made for through services between Auckland and Dunedin or Invercargill, with calls at all important places en route. About Hall Population Affected A service with Palmersto.n North as its northern terminus would deprive about half tho population of the Dominion of a through service. The Auckland Province alone comprises one-third the population of New Zealand. Moreover, more than half the number of passengers reaching the Dominion from overseas arrive at Auckland, usually in the morning, and tho lack of a trunk air service would bo a distinct hardship to visitors and also would prevent the expeditious carriage of mails. The proposed trunk routo includes only one aerodrome in the whole of the North Island. The board's proposal to grant a licence for trunk air services between Dunedin and Palmerston North has been described by the Mayor of New Plymouth, Mr. E. Gilmour, as a "tragedy and an intolerable injustice." He said it seemed that the Transport Co-ordination Board, in order to protect the railways from competition, proposed to put a stranglehold on civil aviation in New Zealand. If board adhered to its announced opinion, it would give a monopoly to a company to exercise an air service that would exclude from its benefits Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington City and Southland. Details ol Applications

The adjourned applications, for air service licences and the routes proposed are as follows: —Union Steam Ship Company, Limited, for National Airways of New Zealand, Limited, Palmerston North —Dunedin; S. E. Njelson, for New Zealand Airlines, Limited, Auckland-Invercargill, Welling-ton-Hokiti ka-Cromwell, Timaru-Crom-well - Dunedin, Invercargill - Stewart Island, Auckland-Whangarei; H. T. Parry, Westport-South Westland, air taxi service from Hokitika; We*jt Coast Airways, Limited, Nelson-Okuru; Falcon Airways, Limited, AucklandWhangarei; E. F. Harvie, air taxi service from Mangere; T. S. Withers, for Dominion Airways, Limited, AucklandDunedin, Auckland-Nelson (or Wellington). . The following new applications also will be considered; —Central Air Services, Limited, air taxi service from Milsom, Palmerston North; Waikato Aviation Company, Limited, air taxi service, from Hamilton.

PALMERSTON NORTH HOPES AERODROME ALTERATIONS Extensive alterations are pending at the Milson aerodromo, in the event of Palmerston North being seldcted ns the air junction for the inter-Island services, states the Manawatu Standard. Conditional on the airways licence sought by the large company wishing to operate from this centre being granted, immediate steps will be taken to providfe extensive hangar accommodation, waiting rooms, control offices and a radio beacon at Milson. _ _ The beacon will be necessary, it is stated, to give a directional wireless beam for twin-engined machines flymg in bad weather, or under poor visibility conditions. It will probably be one of three such beacons, Blenheim and Kaikoura being likely situations for the others. The present size of the Milson aerodrome is 52 acres, and this area is t<> be extended by the acquisition of largo blocks of land on the southern and western sides. A gully will have to be piped and similar treatment given the drain on the northern boundary of the aerodrome. The Government has undertaken to survey the area, and the main access to the aerodrome will, according to the i>lans formulated, bo from the Milson settlement, bringing thai landing ground one and a-half miles nearer to the post office. The additional area will give a runway of over 900 yds, sufficient for ilio largest aircraft, and placing the aerodrome in the A class. The Manawatu Aero Club will retain its present hangar and use a subsidiary runway, enabling it to engage in flying activities without interfering with commercial aeroplanes. 11 is also proposed to put down an 18-holo golf course round the aerodrome immediately it is laid out.' It is considered that' the complete preparation of the ground, involving the lifting of the turf, levelling and returfing, will occupy two years, possibly with relief labour on the contract, system. However, if the airways licence is granted, it will be possible, it is stated, to have the main runway •'early for the use of the commercial aircraft within three months of the survey being carried out.