OVER THE TASMAN

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 244, 16 October 1942, Page 4

OVER THE TASMAN

CIVILIAN AIR TRAVEL. Some of the joys and tribulations of civilian air travel in wartime were described to members of the Wellington Rotary Club this week by Mr Cyril Sander, who recently travelled to and from Australia by air. He said that in the first place ona had to satisfy the Minister for Internal Affairs that there was a. good excuse for the trip, and the manpower authorities had to be sure that one was not dodging responsibilities to the war effort in this country. After having satisfied these departments there were other things to be done before taking flight- across the: Tasman. The income tax authorities demanded guarantees for the payment of tax; there was the Social Security tax also to be paid; permits had to be secured for money to be converted into Australia.fi currencv on arrival, there; a baggage permit had to be obtained; one had to declare all jewellery or watches in his pcssession (so that they could not be exohanged for mere expensive articles of similar na ture and so defraud the Custome on one's return) ; and one must declare that one has no photographie camera. Mr Sander said that passengers by air could carry a suitcase weighing not more than 441b, and in addition could take an overcoat and rug. 'The fare was £30 each way. The plane he travelled in used 1400 gallons of petrol in making the 8J hours' flight from Auckland to Sydney, with 22 people (including the crew) on board. Two good meals, breakfast and luncheon, were served during the 1 trip. With the drone of the engines and nothing to see: except: a. boundless expanse of ocean the trip was rather monotonous, and most people drowsed the greater part' of the time, waking up fof meals only.