CLAIMS OF TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1935, Page 4

CLAIMS OF TARANAKI

AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTION. QUESTION OF TRUNK TERMINAL. AUCKLAND CONSIDERED BETTER. Representations of Taranaki’s claim to a right to participate in the benefits ,of a Dominion air transport trunk service will be made to the adjourned session of the Transport Co-ordination Board on March 6 by the New Plymouth Borough Council, the New Plymouth Airport Board and the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce. Waitara, Inglewood, Stratford, Eltham and Hawera chambers- of commerce will be invited to co-operate and the Taranaki Chamber will inform the Auckland and Hamilton chambers and aero clubs that it would be pleased to co-operate with them in any action to secure a service from Auckland to Invercargill. . , . These decisions were arrived at yesterday morning at a special .meeting of the council of the Taranaki Chamber at which representatives of the air P° rt board were present as a delegation. . The delegates drew attention to a decision made at the previous day’s meeting of the board to write to the Transport Coordination Board protesting against the proposal to operate a trunk air service between Palmerston North and InvercarS *The Transport Co-ordination Board, it was pointed out, had power to grant licenses in any part of New Zealand for the carriage by air of mails, passengers, etc., and there was no appeal from that board’s decision. Four interests had made application for licenses and the board had deferred consideration in the meantime, but special attention was drawn to the statement by the Transport Co-ordination Board as follows:—- . “At this stage we do not feel justified in arriving at a final decision, as there are many aspects which have been raised during the hearing. It is also felt desirable that certain technical matters should be considered before finalising the position. . . “We can, however, at this juncture indicate that in our opinion the most important trunk route will be that which will operate between Palmerston North and Dunedin. The value of this route for the carriage of passengers, and more so for the carriage of. mails, must be apparent to all.” ROUTE OF TRUNK SERVICE. The deputation stated that the airport board was strongly of the opinion that the trunk service should be from Auckland to Invercargill. The suggested service between Palmerston North and Dunedin would eliminate Auckland from participation in the direct benefits of such a service. Taranaki and Auckland had one-third of the Dominion’s population and one-third of its area. The only way connection, could be made would be by a 10-hour train journey from Auckland, and a journey of several hours from New Plymouth to Palmerston North. The connection would, furthermore, have to be made the day before under the existing train time-table, it was claimed that Auckland could make the connection by using the Limited express, but this was getting away from the idea that the Government was fostering—to provide and develop landing grounds throughout New Zealand. The deputation stressed that it was not concerned with the question of to what concern the license was granted. The point was the provision of a service from Auckland to Invercargill. Mr. L. M. Moss pointed out that the other proposal would mean a journey of two days from Auckland to Invercargill, instead of six hours 20 minutes by an all-air route. . Mr. P. J. H. White said it seemed as if it was going to be a policy to make Auckland and Taranaki use the railways as far as Palmerston North. A vigorous protest should be made. The chairman, Mr W. C. Weston, commented that it seemed to be a mistake to have a number of companies operating services. In England one concern—lmperial Airways Ltd. —was subsidised by the Government and had proved satisfactory. Mr. Weston and Mr. Moss will represent the chamber of commerce in a deputation including members of the airport board, which will wait on the New Plymouth Borough Council. They will also visit Wellington to place the chamber’s representations before the Transport Co-ordination Board.