AUSTRALIAN AIRWAYS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1930, Page 16

AUSTRALIAN AIRWAYS

large development.

FLYING CtUB MOVEMENT.

“When tire history of the present de cade comes to be written, one of the most interesting and romantic chapters will be that'devoted to transportation, and the most outstanding part of this chapter will be the development of means of transporting passengers, mail, and' goods by'air,” said Captain F. W. Haig (flying officer pf the Vacuum Oil Company in Australia), in tire "course of an address on aviation at, a Wellington reception. to Mr. Oscar Garden. Captain Haig said that in Australia the total.,of regularly flown routes covered by Government subsidised airways was 5500 miles per week. . That Equalled one-fifth of the total railway lines in Australia. Flying to schedule, the machines on these routes fly 11,000 miles a week; - The subsidy paid by the Government to those services represented approximately 3s per mile IkJWn to schedule, with the exception of' the Western Australian. Airways,' the Perth to Adelaide service, which covers a distance of 1500 miles. That service was subsidised at the rate of 12s 8d pec-pound ,of mail matter carried, with a - minimum of COOs pounds per trip, AIJ those subsidies were' .on a basis of reduction each year. ... ‘‘ln addition to the; subsidised services, which are undoubtedly of great value to Australia in linking up outback rail heads arid speeding up mail between important centres,”, .said Captain Haig, “we have in regular operation unsubsidised services flying regularly over routes the total length .ol which is 2500 .miles. The only assistance t’ese companies receive from the Government is a bonus of 4s per pound of mail matter carried. In these unsubsidised services, the machines last | year flew a total of 1,265,000 miles. ' “The action of the Commonwealth in subsidising air services opens up the outback country, suburbanis.es country towns, and brings necessities such as medical attention, agricultural experts, etc.; into close touch with the people who are the backbone of Australia,” said Captain Haig. The speaker said that one of the most important aspects of aircraft development in Australia was that pi. the living club movement. Altogether there were 18 aero clubs in regular operatit n, and between them they averaged 1200 hours per month in training flights. Since the aero clubs had been in operation, over. 600 pilots had qualified for licenses. The aero clubs gave a very good reserve of pilots who might be called upon in the event of hostilities, and also a fine .meansof developing “air-mindedness” in the community..