FRUIT BY AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23228, 23 December 1938, Page 14

FRUIT BY AIR

SOUTHERN CHEBKIES FIRST COMMERCIAL FREIGHT CONSIGNMENT FOR AUCKLAND [by telegraph—own correspondent] WELLINGTON. Thursday For tho first time in the history of commercial aviation in New Zealand an air-liner was chartered to-day for the exclusive transportation of urgent freight. The machine was one of Cook Strait Airways' D.H. Dragon Rapides, and it was ilown from Blenheim to Wellington with ,10001b. ol cherries consigned to tho Auckland market. Tho fruit was packed in 101b. boxes and was landed at Rongotai aerodrome in time for a connection to be made with the afternoon express, which left for Auckland at 3 p.m. The air-liner was one of the machines usually engaged in mail anil passenger services between Wellington, Blenheim and Nelson, it left Blenheim at 12.55 p.m. and landed at Wellington <*o j minutes later. A Railway Department. I motor-truck was waiting at Rongotai aerodrome and the fruit was quickly unloaded and conveyed to tho Wellington railway station, where it was transferred to the luggage vau of the Auckland express. Less than 24 hours from tho time they were packed the cherries are exi pected to be delivered in Auckland. They are large black cherries of a type not grown in. the Auckland district. Motion-picture films, medicines and packages urgently required have frequently been carried between New Zealand centres by aero club machines, but to-day was the first occasion on which a commercial air-liner was used solely for tho conveyance of freight. In spite of carrying 100 boxes of cherries across Cook Strait the payload of tho D.H. Dragon ltapido was not fully taxed when tho machine left Blonheim. Allowing for the pilot, petrol and oil, and a reasonable safety margin there was still room for another 3001b. of freight. The machine was built to carry six adult passengers, and .no interior adjustments were necessary to make room for tho fruit carried to-day. There is a possibility of further freight machines leaving Blenheim early to-morrow morning with a similar load of cherries for the Wellington market.