FIRST AIR MAIL

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1932, Page 4

FIRST AIR MAIL

FOR WEST COAST. LARGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC. <By Telegruph —Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 20. An air mail was taken to the A\est Coast to-day for the first time, when flights from Wellington to Nelson, Westport and Hokitika. and return, , were carried out by Squadron-Leader AlcGregor. Alans were carried in both direc-’ tions. and both flights were completed over half an hour ahead of tho schedule time. .. A l.ail bads which contained 2400 lettiis were loaded iil-tp the Spartan plane at the Rongotai airport, shortly before 8 a.m., and -Squadron-Leader Al. C, AlcGregor D.F.C. at 8 o’clock took off. Tile plane reached Nelson at 0.18, or twelve minutes ahead of schedule. The machine landed at Nelson 72(1 ordinary letters, and HO registered packets, and loaded 084 letters and 84 registered packets. After refuelling the machine left Nelson at 9.35 a.in. for Westport, which was reached at 10.5. Here further mails were dropped and collected and Squadron-Leader McCpegor continued his journey at 11.12, landing at Hokitika an hour later, 33 minutes ahead of the schedule. The machine was to have left on the return trip at 2 p.m. but a largo mail was being handled there, and the machine could not leave until 2,10 p.m., but, after making two calls again on the route back, the plane landed at Rongotai at 5.30 p.m., being 40 minutes earlier than had been anticipated.