COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16623, 16 April 1928, Page 2

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

POSSIBILITIES IN N.Z. MR. D. MILL'S VIEWS Speaking with n firm conviction that the era of civil aviation is at hand in Now Zealand, Mr. D. Mill, first private aeroplane' owner in the Dominion, made a strong plea in Wellington for the provision of lauding facilities bv municipal authorities. Mr. Mill," who is the owner of an 80 horse-power D.H. (50X Moth twoseater plane, has created much interest in-aviation by his recent flights. Accompanied by a passegner lie flew last month from Auckland to Otaha, north of ■ Russell. Several short flights were made from Otaha. Mrs. Mill made the return flight to Auckland with her husband. A few days later they left the northern city for Christchurch, where they arrived after slops at Hawera and Blenheim on the afternoon of March 29, the final stretch of 180 miles being flown in 2hrs. 3min., only 32 gallons of petrol and two' gallons' of oil being used on the journey. The fuel cost under £3, and'the whole flight from Auckland to Christchurch cost barely £. r >. The average air speed was 75 miles an hour. During his stay in Canterbury Mr. Mill flew from Christchurch to Wainiatc and back with a passenger. On Thursday morning, at 9.55, he left ChristcluiVeh on his return to Auckland, and despite a north-west gale he lauded at Blenheim before 1 p.m. The flight was resumed after lunch, and a safe landing made at Trentham about an hour later. COMMERCIAL FLYING IN THE DOMINION Speaking to a Dominion representative, Mr. Mill said Canterbury was the least backward part of a hackward Dominion as far as aviation was concerned. He considered that Wellington was somewhat badly placed owing to the lack of level ground for aeroplanes, but there was no reason why it should not be made available for seaplanes. Commercial flying was coming iu New Zealand—of that there was no doubt. The formation of aero clubs was a step in this direction, and the Government was to be commended for its scheme to assist such Already there was a demand for freight carriage by air, and with the speed and safetv of flying—for it was an actual fact that aeroplanes were sater than road transport—they would become a big factor in transport. In support of his contention, Mr. Mill referred to the extraordinary development of the service car iu New Zealand. Few people a few years ago realised what a very great part the motor-car and motor-truck were destined to play in passenger and freight transport in the Dominion. Their competition with the railways to-dav was one of the big problems that had to be faced. ' NEEDS OF CIVIL AVIATION U commercial aviation was to progress rapidly two things would have to be done,' said Mr. Mill. The Meteorological Office would have to < extend its'" activities and provide reliable weather data for fliers, and the, local government authorities would have to provide suitable ending places. In the United States 1000 places had been set aside last year, and the result was that civil aviation had gone ahead 200 per cent. Mr Mill said Hawera was the only place he knew of that was alive in this respect as far as the municipal authorities were concerned, although private individuals were always keen and very helpful. When he landed at Hawera there were fires and flags placed for his guidance and a pfliceman was on duty to keep the crowd, especially the boys, in order. _ He intended to make Hawera an airport of call whenever he was flying north or south. The peoplo there seemed alive to the possibilities of flying, and Hawera would be an airport long before any other place, although he believed Blenheim was seriously considering the provision of a suitable landing ground for aeroplanes. What was needed was a good level stretch of ground (which in the smaller centres could be leased for grazing or accommodation for travelling stock), a .shed suitable for housing a machine or posts to which if could be moored securely in case of a gale, and near at hand facilities for refueling or repairs. AERIAL SURVEY POSSIBILITIES

Apart from the question of cheap transport, Mr. Mill said the aeroplane offered great possibilities in New Zealand in survey and general photographic work. Aeroplane cameras had been developed to a high standard, and were capable of giving vertical or oblique pictures of stretches of country rapidly and cheaply. A vertical photographic survey could be made with extreme accuracy to any , scale, arid would give 100 per cent, of detail.