COOK STRAIT BY AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 31, 6 February 1935, Page 13

COOK STRAIT BY AIR

PBOPOSED SERVICES

TWO APPLICATIONS

DECISION RESERVED

Two companies applied to the Transport Co-ordination Board this morning for licences to operate commercial air services between Wellington, Blenheim, and Nelson. Both applicants offered a daily service with twin-engine machines. The applications \yere heard by Sir Stephen Allen (chairman) and Messrs. H. B. S. Johnstone and Lisle Alderton. Decision was reserved.

The first application was made by the Goodwin-Chichester Aviation Co., Ltd., represented, by Mr. G. D. M. Goodwin. The application named a flye-seater Monospar, a six-seater Avro Six, and a four-seater Cutty Sark as the types of machines to be used.

Mr. Goodwin outlined the position of. his company, and gave details of their experience. They proposed -to use multipjle-engined machines and to fly at a sufficiently high altitude to enable the machines -to glide to land if engine trouble was. experienced. However; the three-engine Avro Six machines would- be able to carry on if one engine went out of commission.

The fares proposed—Wellington to Nelson £1 3s, Wellington to Blenheim 17s, and Blenheim to Nelson 15s—were low, but they considered '■: the charges would have to be; kept down to build up the service. The company proposed to charge those' fares for three months to establish the service, but when travellers became used to flying the fares would be reviewed. The company proposed -to make a. landing charge of 2s 6d per passenger.

Mr. H. J. Knight, representing White Star Motors, said that the proposed fares between Blenheim- and Nelson were below those charged by the road motor services. Mr. Goodwin said they had to charge .less, than the existing services to persuade travellers to go by air. They did not expect to get the traffic the motors picked up between Blenheim and Nelson.

, In reply; to the chairman, Mr. Goodwin said his, company did not propose to purchase the • Mpnospar ,or Cutty Sark mentioned in the application if the Avro Six machines could be procured;

The Chairman: What charges do you propose to make-after, the first three months when the service is established?

Mr. Goodwin: That would be a matter for the board.

Mr. Knight submitted .that the fares charged should be such that they •would not compete with the road services which were required for intermediate passengers.

The application of Cook Strait Air■ways, Ltd. . (Nelson) for a service between Wellington and Hokitika with calls at .-• Blenheim ; and Nelson was heard next, so that the claims of the tvvo. applicants could be compared.

Mr. C. G. White, who appeared for Cook Strait, Airways, said the company had a capital of £50,000. The men behind it were all connected with transport, and if £50,000 proved insufficient to establish the service more would be forthcoming.

' The fares submitted were regarded as the maximum: that would. be required, and .there was no question of coming 'back to the. board "for an increase once the service- was established.

. Mr.'. E. H. Thompson, n secretary,,,o£ "the company, said £17,500,0f the capital was subscribed, and the balance '-•was promised by the Union ' Steam 'Ship Company ) the Anchor Shipping Company, and Newman -Bros. -A regular service between Nelson-anil Hokitika was not proposed at present,

Flight-Lieutenant G. B. Bolt, tech-, nical adviser to the company, said that he had had lengthy experience in flying between' Wellington 1 and Blenheim and Nelson. ..He considered twinengine machines were required for commercial purposes, and a fa'irly'fast machine was needed to contend with weather, conditions in. Cook Strait.

The'chairman said the board would consider the applications and give its decision later. ' "