AIR SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22864, 20 October 1937, Page 14

AIR SERVICES

AUCKLAND TO DUNEDIN THROUGH CONNECTION LINK WITH WELLINGTON TWO TRIPS EACH DAY Changes linking three of the principal air services of New Zealand in a notwork that will provide a through connection from Auckland tta Dunedin in 611 45m, and the extension of the Fast Coast service to connect with the main trunk air route at Palmerston North, are announced in the time-tables of Union Airways and East Coast Airways. The new summer time-tables of the two companies, and also that of Cook Strait Airways, are to come into operation on October 30. They are subject to the approval of the Minister of Transport, the Hon. 11. Semple. A second trip each .day in the Auck-land-Wellington service, with the elimination of the call at New Plymouth on the afternoon journey, is included in the time-table for Union Airways' Lockheed monoplanes. The timetable for the company's south-bound De Havilland air-liner 011 the Palmerston North-Dunedin route has also been revised, to make possible a connection at Palmerston North for passengers bound from Auckland for the South Island. South-bound Passengers Travelling southward, passengers will leave Auckland at 8.15 o'clock in the morning in one of the Lockheeds, and after a call at New Plymouth, will reach Palmerston North at 10.25 o'clock. Five minutes later the southbound De Havilland will take off, reaching Blenheim at 11.35, Christchurch at 1.10 p.m. and Dunedin at three o'clock. The second Lockheed, which will not connect with the South Island service, will leave Auckland at noon as at present, but there will be 110 call at New Plymouth, the monoplane flying to Palmerston North direct in 111 35m, and continuing to Wellington after a wait of 15 minutes, arriving there at 2.30. From Wellington northward, one Lockheed will leave at noon and reach Auckland at 2.30, calling only at Palmerston North, and the second machine will leave at three o'clock, calling at Palmerston North and New Plymouth, and landing at Mangere at six o'clock. Changes in the South The present through connection north-bound from Dunedin, Christchurch and Blenheim to New Plymouth and Auckland remains, except that two connections can now be made at Palmerston North for Auckland and one for New Plymouth. The machine for New Plymouth will leave Palmerston North at 3.50 o'clock and arrive at 4.45. Cook Strait Airways' service between Wellington and Blenheim to connect with the main trunk service will be maintained as usual, except that the time of departure from Wellington will be 11 o'clock instead of nine. Passengers from Wellington will thus be in Christchurch at 1.10 p.m. Schedules of East Coast Airways have also been re-arranged. A machine leaving Gisborne at 6.40 a.m. and Napier at 7.50 will reach Palmerston North at 9.5 a.m., to connect with the southbound service to Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin, leaving Palmerston at 10.30. Hawke's Bay Connections The machines from Hawke's Bay will also connect with the AucklandWellington services. One of the De Havilland Dragons of East Coast Airways will leave Palmerston North each afternoon at one o'clock, reaching Napier at 2.10 p.m. and Gisborne at 3.20 p.m. " These alterations and extensions to time-tables have been planned for the purpose of ascertaining the potential traffic', and although this is the first time that an effort has been made to give a network of air service throughout New Zealand, the continuation of these services must necessarily depend upon the amount of support received on each route," says a statement issued by Union Airways. "Mail facilities have been given close attention, and the maximum benefits for air mail have, in most cases, been secured, although passenger traffic has in all cases received our first consideration. " Other extensions will be considered as experience is gained and equipment secured, but it is the policy of the company to develop in well-planned, economical stages."