AIR MAIL COY.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 713, 13 December 1933, Page 6

AIR MAIL COY.

for new zealand SIR CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH TO ACT AS DIRECTOR ON BOARD ROTORUA INCLUDED According to information received in Rotorua, important plans for the formation of an air-mail and Passenger carrying company in New Zealand are at present being prepared by the interests concerned with Squadron-Leader Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's forthcoming tour of New Zealand. Sir Charles, it is stated, has agreed to act as director of ,a- company which will have as its object the initiation of an air-mail service between the four main New Zealand centres with probable extensions to other larger towns. Substantial backing, it is understood, is already ,available for .the venture which will have a flotation capital of £50,000 of which £37,000 approximately will require to be subscribed. The company proposes to operate large planes on the lines adopted by Australian Airways and to link these up with feeder planes from smaller towns. It is understood that Rotorua will be linked up in this way possibly as a half-way port of call on the journey to Napier. Inquiries in regard to landing facilities in Rotorua were made over the week-end by a representative of the prospective company who visited Rotorua. It is understood that the fares charged will be approximately 50 per cent. above existing first elass rail fares and that passenger planes carrying six in addition to the pilot will probably be used between the main centres. Mr. iWlilford Kingsford Smith, brother of Sir Charles, is at present in the Dominion carrying on preliminary negotiations in connection with the proposed flotation. Sir Charles hopes to arrive in New Zealand in the •'Southern Cross" about the middle of J.anuary and to synchronise his airival in Rotorua with the Anniversary Day celehrations on January 28. The tentative proposals for the new venture have been received with marked interest and it is understood that there is every likelihood of sufficient capital being obtained to float the company.