NORTHLAND TO HAVE AIR SERVICE

Chronicle (Levin), 19 December 1946, Page 2

NORTHLAND TO HAVE AIR SERVICE

-Press Association

By felegrayh-

WELLINGTON, Deo. IS. > The elialrman of tlie N.Z. National j Airways Corporation, Sir Leohard Isittr, j annouiiced tlie inauguration of the J Northland serviee today. On Monday, January 20, this important serviee in| the network of New Zealand's internal serviee, will edminence operation on a daiiy basis except Sunday, he said. It was not possible until further aireraft wero available, to give the Northland district an ideal .seliedule but shortly after the inauguration of this interiin serviee, it should be possible for passengers to travel from Kaitaia to Welling-

ton in about 41 hours. Later it would be possible to travel from oue end of New Zealand to the other in one day. It was the aini of the eorporation to facilitate travel. from any point in New Zealand to any other point within 12 hours. It would, however, be some time before this could be fuily aeeoinplished although, in the main, by the end of 1917 it was anticipated that this would be possible. . The serviee to Northland will originate in Gisborne and the Gisborne-Auck-land serviee would be increased aeeordingly. Gisborne puskengers would now have both ti morning and afternoon ser-

viee to Auckland and Auckland would have two services eaeh day to Gisborne. The Gisborne-Auckland serviee would call at Tauranga as Tauranga was in Ihe prewar network and all facilities were available tliere for this stopping place to be included. Further expansions were being planned to include other stopping placeS auch as Opotiki but aerodrome improvement would have to be made before this expansion could take place.

The matter of extra aircrait was recciving the fullest attentiou ot the eorporation. Four aireraft had been p'urchased in Australia — two Electras and two Lodestars. They were being prepared in New Zealand for serviee. The comprehensive main truuk services would be increased about February with the introduetion of a third Lodestar and later a fourth Lodestar would be placed on this serviee, giving three services eacli way per day between the four main ceutres in New Zealand with direct services between Auckland and Wellington and Wellington and Auckland. Other developineuts would follow as rapidlv as aireraft aud facilities becaine available. The board was investigating air serviee requirements of both (he North and youth Islands and would inaugurate services and increasc frerjuencies as soou as possible. It was ' fc'iTGliid 194rP',iWu!d iWOVe tti 'iie 't'lm ycar of greatest expansion of the services and frequencies and in line with the excellent services rendered to the Dominion in the past.