DUNEDIN PEOPLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26957, 17 December 1948, Page 4

DUNEDIN PEOPLE

“OWN WORST ADVOCATES”

“I feel that the people of Dunedin are the world’s worst advocates for their own city,” said the chairman of the Otago Air Development Committee. Mr A. S. Falconer, to the Minister of Civil Aviation. Mr Jones, when a deputation from the committee met him yesterday to discuss air services. “ Here we have the best climate in New Zealand for health, yet Dunedin people are its worst critics. The type of people in Dunedin are among the best in New Zealand, and it is up to us to put Dunedin in the position in which it was in the early days of the country, and remedy the decline which is apparent,” he added. Mr Falconer's remarks were made after a statement by Mr Jones that Dunedin was now. well catered for bv air services He said that there were, five dsily runs in and out of the city. Whether that demand would be maintained when the summer ended was questionable. ” When a freight service was given to Dunedin, it lost money through a lack of support, and had to be cancelled,” Mr Jones went on to say. “A freight sen-ice can be provided under charter if required for fruit or other cargoes.” The Minister said that people did not want to come to a part !bf the country where residents were always saying that the air services were neglected. The business of the National Airways Corporation had increased from 80.000 to 150,000 passengers in the past 12 months. Mr Jones said, and this made demands on the engineering and servicing branches. The introduction of new services could not be rushed, or the service would not be able to operate. He thought the South Island was doing well for air services.