UNION AIRWAYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 13, 16 January 1936, Page 8

UNION AIRWAYS

OPENING OF SERVICE CEREMONY AT MILSON AEROPLANES CHRISTENED PALMERSTON N.. Jan. 15. The official opening of the Union Airways service between Palmerston North and Dunedin, via Blenheim and Christchurch, took place at the Milson Aerodrome. Palmer ston North, this afternoon. Aa.ong the incidents of the event was the christening of the three big DHB«> aeroplanes—Kotuku, Karoro. and Korimako—by the Postmaster General, the Hon. F. Jones, who flew from Wellington this morning. Immediately after the ceremony the first regular flight of the service began, one of the machines leaving for Dunedin. THE JOURNEY NORTH ABFIVAL AT CHRISTCHUKCH L For P e»» on. | CHRIST* HI'RCH. Jan. 15. Exactly on tinrf, the Union Airway* aeroplane Korvro cut out b**r eogim? above Wigram this morning ami glided down to a perfect landing. On board were f he guest.* and official.* of Ihe company thp inauguration flights. The h-»r« r,» glided up to the ‘’ante: bury Club pair of the ueid and her passengers dtremharked for a •up <»t t-a before proceeding on to Blenheim ano Palmerston North, where the ceremony is to be held this afternoon. The Koron, took off f ;<»••» Du ledin at 8.35 nVlm k. and arrived at V» igrani at 10 o'clock. The partv from Dunedin included the Mayor of Duo oliw (Rev. E. T. » and Messrs. At. R. Cunningham iwur.vr of i-p Duu edin bran-h of the Union Company), R. Halstead (.general manager •»» John Mil! and Company . F. Tyson (manager -f tin* IhmeJin branch of the Xew Zealand Shipping Compaq •. W. Shepherd an.! J. P. Marlow ■ officials of the Dunedin Aero Club;. and Air. H. M. Smiih lof the Dunedin Star . The pilot w«t.* Mr. A. G. Gerrard, with Mr. A. V. Jury as assistant and wire operator. At Christchurch Messrs. Cunning* ham, Ha Lt pa <i and Tyso:i disembarked and will rejoin the Korom on h*r re* turn to Dunedin this evenin". Their places were taken by Meser*. • live Grozifr (president of the Canterbury l*ro Club . and P. f’limjp (secretary of ’he club) and R. K. Palmer, war mad* a pinning commentary on ths flight o» cr ihe air. and Mr. M Gias AT PALMERSTON NORTH TLANBf CHRISTENED BY POSTMASTER GENERAL I Per Frees Aseoeiet on. 1 PALMERSTON N . Jan. 15. Th” inauguration to-day of a trunk air express service from Pa.mersuon North to DuneJin by Union Airwars wrought •doser th** realisation of it* ’omrnei**ia| qualities to thousands of people who witnessed the ceremony at Wilson "drome. The proceedings were ae s-mide r« the sen ire is significant. The three I»H 86 ’plane* were christened for rhp • ompanv by Hon. F. Jone*. F’o-»t master Genera", and imine* rbateiv afterward* the Karorp left for Duncd n on the fi-t ••ffi* ai .service fl ght. The occasion was one of antial j«agenntrv. a of ’pane* de ightin z ’ the large r-ow-i n ■ h acrobat’’’* • nter*por-ed with paravh i:e jumping. It »* doubtful if Pier before m the Dominion such a varied as*eml»iv *»f mechanical Piigie* graved an a tiield. Mr Jone* stated that the aiigura’ion of the *or ;--p inspired wonderful vis : on* nf the future. H.< extended rhe Govern mon?’* enngra i nhi! ion* to Union Airway* ..n the wonderful m»i penpie nf New Zealand. The Govern is going 1 • land and that the element of danger, plre'idv verv slight, would bp todined to .tn absolute minimum l»v the use of Ji recr inn • under*. Touching *>n the lirric • r.'.ciirp ment«. Mr X. s. Pa.la. chairman of ■Hrertnrc nf I'ninn Vrwava, said tha* fnej « -1) r fbe annua »pt • g :«»=t s SHOULD CARRY MAILS BUSINESSMEN’S VIEW IH'XEDIX. J 15. Lora! businessmen expre** them arh p, being rGongh in fa’our ••* the projw»*al c-i the 1 anterbuiy < ham her of t' n mmcrce that mails should 1..* carried l»* I’nmu Aiiwav- •»;» i;s tru.ik svrvicc. CEREMONY AT WOCDBOLRNk KEEN PUBLIC INTEREST ( Per Press Association. I BUXHEIM. Jan. ]5. Woodbourne aerodrome was the scene of an ent biisiast ic iun.-i-m iiirr afiernoon. woen the 1 nicn Airways liner Karoro arrived from Palmerston X’orth m navigate ihe trunk air service. The ronipany’s big ’plane.* ha\»been in and out of Blenheim tor .*om< weeks an.l are now mi novehy. but Tie vert hole** the function whi’h was arranged bv the Marll’Orough Aeio Club, attracted a rtirprisingly large at tendance. The Karoro arrived 0:1 time, do* ly attended by one of the • Ook Sirait Air wavg machines, which had also attended the navigation ceremony al Pa I me r ®ton. Among the Karoro s passenger? to and from Palmerston North were boMayor. Mr. John Stevenson, Mr. 1.. P. Mearhen. M.P., Mr. A. A. MacNnb. president of the Marllwiroiigh A-‘r<» Club, and Mr M. McKenzie, tup club's vic# president. An enjnyal.de afternoon tea was pro-

- ' ide<l bv the Aero Club ami Mr. Mae » N:i-'. tn a brief spcali, extended best • uish<** the new service. The 'planes . departed for Chri .-t«dutrrh and Nei • son ie-jM '1 i' eiy to thi’ jn-' Ornpaniment r of cheers. » The impoitaiip of Blenheim as a junction m the air servicer was • .*tirssed duiiig tlm ftiari i.-i., it being stated ’hat when tup services were i” 1 tuli swing 12 air liners would be call- ' 1 :ng at B.enhei-n ca- h day. while for a ron.*i<lciabl»* period private traffic in . an»i out of Blenheim ha i averaged r«» Jo ’planes per month. RETURN TO DUNEDIN WELCOME AT AERODROME [ Prr Pre** A**oeiation. J L’l NI!D.IN, Jan. 15. I •li-.-n Air 'a-* plat:,* Karoro coin pletr-i the round trip from Dunedin :<• Palmerston Noifh whm ;t arrived here at 7.45 p.m. The 'plane was wel-.-ui;ed a; the N’uiii Taieri aerodronre b\ about a thousand people. ' In the ‘-ourse “f a br;“f otti' ial fuar ti<-n tin* h« p»* wa- expressed that Dun rdin would shortly have an aiiport on j the harbour foreshore adjacent to the • i-in.'-s aiea of the city. The rpeakers . \ .deed inc desirability of the ser i.e bein ' utilised for the carriage of NOVEL BROADCAST PROGRESS REPORTS FROM AIP. LINER. ; MESSAGES HEARD J X CITY. A novel broadcast was .-acried out by th** New Zealand Broadcasting Board ' vesterdav. when progress reports were broad'ast from I’nion Airways-’ DHK*i ;.ir liner Karoro on her maiden flight from Palmerston North to Dunedin. i The messages were first of all broad i.-ast from the ground, but as soon as ‘ th»* machine took the air a cwinmentar j tor in its cabin commenced to broad- ' ~ast a description of the flight through n lone of the two radio transmitters rivalled in the aeroplane. The ines- ' sages were pi.-ked up bv the Rroad- ’ casting Board engineers i;i Wellington ’ and relayed over the air. The message” ' were pi.-ked tip clearly bv radio !is- '• teners in Wanganui, who took a kee-t l interest in the progress of the ’plan? end were surprised at the rapidity of the flight. There was a considerable r amount of noise at times, but this was 1 to be expected when it is remembered • that four engines give the machine -is motiie power. Nevertheless, the speech •’ was quite audible and the description .if various points of interest as seen ‘ from the air was entertaining to listen- >. Pis in. The take off of the Karoro was “ broadcast and th** first quarter nf an > hot- of the flight, but after that the broadcasts were at intervals nf frnm a >- quarter nf an hour to half an hour.