NEW ZEALAND AIR LINES

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1935, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND AIR LINES

DECISION UPON LICENSING TRANSPORT BOARD REASONING. IMPORTANCE OF NEW PLYMOUTH. PASSENGER ANR MAIL NEEDS. Licenses for trunk air services within the Dominion have been granted by the Transport Co-ordination Board to Union Airways of New Zealand Ltd. (the Union Steamship Company) and Great Pacific Airways (N.Z.) Ltd. (Mr. T. S. Withers). The application of New Zealand Airways Ltd. has been refused. Referring .to fhe equipment of aerodromes, the board observes that much work has yet to be done before services can be commenced. Work on some aerodromes is progressing, however, and by the time services are ready to start it is believed that several will be sufficiently advanced for use. “The evidence of local authorities and public bodies entirely disregarded the condition of aerodromes, except to indicate the perfection of Rongotai, but we venture to say it is a question on which the witnesses should not remain apathetic, because though licenses may be granted the actual flying, to any point cannot begin before the landing ground has a real margin of safety in all weathers for the machines to be used,” the board states.

“As to the route to be followed, these witnesses were'. all in favour of' the long route, but with one exception no thought had been given to the exact course to be followed and only one' of these witnesses was able to indicate the places at which calls should be made. The one exception was the Hon. J. McLeod, to whose evidence we attach weight afiS who has long been connected with aviation, in New Zealand. Mr. McLeod thought the route should be Auck-land-New Plymouth-Palmerston North-Christchurch-Dunedin. He would eliminate Wellington, where he does not consider flying conditions are possible for the trunk service at present.” CARRIAGE OF MAILS. As regards the carriage of mails the board reports that the view of the Post Office is that the service intended to be provided between Palmerston ■ North — Christchurch —Dunedin by the Union Steam Ship Company is the only one that interests the department. “The Post Office' maintains that letters are usually written during the day, and posted at the end of business hours in the afternoon,” the board adds. “For such letters the existing mail service ■between Auckland and Wellington and between Wellington and Christchurch is all that can be desired; because the letters between these places are posted in the evening and arrive at their destination by the following morning. Letters posted at Auckland for the South Island or those from the South Island for Auckland, will reach their destination more quickly by air between Palmerston North and Christchurch, and transhipment to or from the train at Palmerston North, than by keeping the letters over-night at Auckland or Christchurch as the case may be, and then taking them the whole distance by air. “A simple analysis of the time of arrival and departure will demonstrate the soundness of this conclusion. As to passengers, however, quite different considerations apply, and if a passenger desires to make his journey as quickly as possible, his transit will be much more rapid by air, and the long distance flight .is therefore preferable. All the evidence at our disposal agrees that night-flying, is still not ■ possible in New Zealand with any safety. While still discussing the question of mails, we ought to note the possible future importance of New Plymouth as a mail centre, if it becomes the landing point of a transTasman service. NEW ZEALAND CONTROL. “While it is a matter not specifically mentioned in the Act, we are convinced that the control of any company undertaking a trunk service within New Zealand ought to remain in N fl w Zealand. "The state' of the aerodromes on each route is an important factor affecting all the applications before us. It may happen that services licensed by us will.be ready to operate before the landing grounds proposed to be used are fit for the purpose. We have asked for a report to be furnished to us on the state of these grounds, and when it is ready we shall be in a position to say which grounds can be used at once. An interdepartmental committee is at work on the matter, and the information collected by it will ba of great value and will guide us in allowing or refusing the use of any ground. Until we know any aerodrome is in a safe and proper condition its use will not be permitted and the license will not include it. "Finally we mention the third applicant, N.Z. Airways Ltd. This company has already done some flying, especially in the south, and is entitled to consideration in other directions. It applied for a license to cover certain auxiliary routes, as well as for the main service, and for ' a license for a taxiservice also. We adjourn the application as regards these other routes and the taxi service, to enable the company to lodge an amended application for any service that may now be open for it. BAN ON RONGOTAI ALLEGED FLYING RISKS. . GROUND AT PAEKAKARIKI? The Transport Co-ordination Board has decided against allowing Wellington, or rather the Rongotai aerodrome, to be. a port of call for projected trunk air services for which the board has granted licenses to two companies. The ban is due to climatic conditions. In announcing its decision in a comprehensive report on applications for licenses, the board says: “The personal safety of travellers is involved, and in view of the distance from other landing gounds, we feel it would be wrong for us to allow pilots to take the risk of landing at Wellington without certain restrictions.: “We desire to refer to the special case of Wellington as regards any flying service, in which it is an intermediate port of call,” the board reports. “Subject to the report •of an inter-departmental committee as regards the condition of landing grounds, which may result in some modification of its views, the board feels it is incumbent upon it to make special provisions having regard to the difficulty and danger of making calls at. Wellington, due mainly to climatic reasons.

“The same consideration does not apply to an equal extent to the short distance flights already licensed between Wellington‘"'and Blenheim and between Wellington and Nelson, because on them the leather conditions in Wellington can be more easily forecast when the flight begins. For long distance flights further precautions must be taken. “Evidence given by experts, and not

contradicted, shows that on at least 10 per cent, of the flying days, a landing at and departure from Wellington could not be made according to timetable, and that on at least 5 per cent, of such days a landing or departure could not be made at all. The Hon. J. McLeod also was of opinion that Wellington must be omitted at present. • WELLINGTON’S IMPORTANCE. “We are fully aware of the importance of Wellington as the capital city, and the focal point of all business interests in the Dominion, but we cannot take the responsibility of allowing Wellington to be a regular port of call under present conditions. We realise the importance of this decision, but we realise also our duty in the matter, With passengers for Wellington on board, or with passengers to pick up, the temptation would be strong to land under dangerous conditions. “The aerodrome at Rongotai may be as good as some witnesses say, or it may be capable of improvement, but in addition to it (or in substitution for it) there must be a landing ground provided at some other place more remote from the dangerous climatic conditions which prevail at Wellington. Such a ground should be sought and prepared for the service.. •. “We are informed that Porirua would probably not be satisfactory, but it may be possible to obtain one at Paekakariki. Until such a ground is available, at least for emergency landings, we cannot allow a regular call at Wellington. When the company is formed, we may be able to frame suitable provisions to cover the case meanwhile. We refer to the fact that even at Croydon where all the latest appliances are in use, it appears it is frequently impossible to land, and an emergency ground is .used.” . “Rongotai would still hot be available on all occasions when what we may call the main line service is able, to operate,” •the Wellington Chamber of Commerce reported recently. “To provide for such occasions, and to obtain an airport available in almost any weather, it will be necessary to go as far afield as Waikanae, where on and adjoining the racecourse there is an area which could be extended to 500 acres if that ever became necessary. With a moderate expense this area could, without interfering with its pastoral uses, be made ready for the panNew Zealand planes to land on when they were notified that Rongotai was not advisable. No permanent buildings would be needed, and passengers landed there could be at Wellington about one hour Hater than if Rongotai yxere called at when southbound, and within two. hours if northbound.