MATRIMONIAL LAWS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 922, 15 March 1930, Page 27

MATRIMONIAL LAWS

| IMPETUS TO AERONAUTICS THE “DIVORCE SPECIAL” I " When the law-makers of the sovereign State of Nevada were casting about for means to further enhance the commonweal, they passed the divorce laws which have made the State and its leading city, Reno, internationally famous. These law-makers also did something constructive, without a notion they were doing so, for the advancement of aeronautics. I? one wishes to take advantage of the divorce laws in Nevada, one must establish a residence there. That residence must be in fact as well as in name. It is necessary to remain within the State’s borders during the period of residence &ave for very brief excursions. It has remained for aviation to provide the means for the seekers after divorces to both have their cakes and eat them —to live in the State, and yet visit outside its boundaries. This means is provided by the Boeing Lines between Salt Lake and San Francisco, and, since the institution of night-flyi'ng, multi-motored transports, the line has been so thoroughly patronised by temporary resi- ! dents of Nevada t,ha.t the night plane leaving Reno airport ai. 1.30 o’clock in the morning, and arriving at Oakland three .hours later, has come to he known as the “Divorce Special.” The same name is being applied to the east-bound night passenger transport which takes off at Oakland at eight o'clock in the evening, and arrives at Reno at 1,0.15 o’clock. Another difference between the laws of California and of Nevada has helped to increase the patronage of the airline. In California three days before one marries there must be a declaration of intent to wed. Nevada requires no such pause. The result has been that couples not wishing to wait the three days hop the plane for Reno, I and after crossing the Sierras in the j two-hour flight, can take advantage of j Reno’s invitation to marry without any declaration of intention. Recently a San Francisco merchant t chartered one of the tri-motored planes and took a wedding party of ten to Reno, where the wedding ceremony was performed. A late wedding dinner or a very early wedding breakfast I was enj’oyed, and the whole party, in- ! eluding the bride and groom, * flew ! back to San Francisco the same night., j Perhaps no other division of the ; transcontinental offers more variety of i scenery than this link of the Boeing Line. It is IS4 miles from Reno 16 Oakland. The big tri-motor, vhose three Hornets develop about 1,700-h.p., climbs from the Reno airport to S.OOO feet in less than 10 minutes. This altitude is sufficient to go through the j passes on a clear night. if there is ! fog. the pilot shoves up through to 12.000 feet to clear the peaks with a good margin of safety. From this height, after some minutes | of flying. Lake Tahoe comes into view as the bold crags of the Carson Range ! slip past. If there is a moon, the i snow-capped peaks glisten with light. ■ Once over the summit of the Sierras, the pilot cuts his engines a trifle, ! and the plane settles into the longJ ■ glide for Oakland. I