N.Z. AIR SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 741, 20 April 1933, Page 5

N.Z. AIR SERVICE.

Principal Centres to be Linked. THREE PLANES TO OPERATE. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, April 19. The organisation of a Dominion air service, which will link, up the principal centres as far south as Christchurch and perhaps Timaru, was stated to-day by Mr H. M. Mackay, managing director of New Zealand Airways, to be well in hand, and it is hoped to inaugurate the service in October next. Three machines, one of which has already been purchased in Sydney for the company, will be rised in the service, which it is hoped will form a foundation for a regular trans-Tasman air line. The passenger 'plane Southern Sky, which was secured from Australian National Airways, was purchased at a cost of £3150, and not £l5O, as was stated in a cablegram published this morning, said Mr Mackay. This machine, which was one of several used by Australian National Airways, was an Avro 10, of a design somewhat similar to the Southern Cross, and was one of the fleet used in the Melbourne-Tasmania-Melbourne-Sydnev and Syd-ney-Brisbane services, having been flying on these lines for some twelve months. The Avro machine would carry up to fourteen passengers. It was much faster than the Southern Cross, having a cruising speed of 100 miles per hour. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith had specially recommended this type of 'plane as the most suitable for the proposed service. Sir Charles was identifying himself with the project, in which he would be interested.