PROPOSED AERIAL SERVICES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15222, 21 May 1920, Page 6

PROPOSED AERIAL SERVICES.

TO AUCKLAND AND NAPIER. A proposal has been mooted to wwu- . lish a company for the inauguration oi a flying boat service between Aucklanu, Gisborne, and Napien and to exteim tub aerial service iroung the coast of both the North and South Islands shouiu uio circumstances warrant the venture. The proposal was brought under the attention of a Herald representative today by Mr. Chas. Matthews, chairman cf the Cook County Council, who introduced to the pressman Major S. E. , Adams, who Is an Interesting visitor to ' Gisborne at present. Major Adams t was formerly m the Royal Artillery and i joining the R.A-F. m 1915 served m that branch right through the war m Franc* and subsequently m Egypt. Major Adams is associated with Captain Seabrook, of Auckland, who also served B with the R.A.F. | Major Adams declared that the -uu- » posed Hying boat *-erv,ice was quite | practicable. Already similar services had \ been inaugurated along the coasts of 5 England. If the service- provid a I financial success m England as a hobby, b then it should be here on the East Const, | where such a service is a neee-isity. The s prop. sal was to utilise a supermarine I Hying boat similar' to that employed on i passenger llyuig services at Home. The boat was capable of carrying a p : lot aim three passengers or. •'■GO lbs. and whs able to My /if-O miles without replenishing petrol Mipplics. The distance from Aucki laud could be covered m 2J- hours aim' iy I Napier In about an hour. The machine was capable of landing In practically any sea, and after inspecting the conditions locally he was satisfied that a landing could be effected safely m the buy, and the • machine could' either "taxi" up to the Kaiti bridge, or passengers could be, ferried ashore by launch. The conditions at Napier were alxi favorable, wliilst those at Auckland were Ideal. The machines are fitted out with a 160 h.p. Beardmore engine, which is located m the planes above Hie heads of the passengers, the latter being accommodated m seats m the "boat" Itself. Major Adams considers Hie service could carry malls and passengers dally, and the machine would be capable of flying practically .all the year round. Based on the present taxi fares overland between Gisborne and Napier the service would pay handsomely.