H.—4OA

Operations of Route Services to 31st March, 1936.

Accidents.

31. In granting licenses the Board has proceeded with caution. The Board has had two main objects in view, the first to provide for the safety of all licensed services, and the second to proceed on a rational plan from a sound beginning. With the aid of reports from the technical and other oificers of the departments concerned, we have tried to make sure of the first object by careful consideration of the type of machine proposed, the aerodromes intended to be used, and a close scrutiny of the financial position of applicants for licenses so as to be certain that the machines employed and all appurtenances for their maintenance should be kept in first-class order. With regard to the second object, we have thought it best to disregard too ambitious schemes, and to provide services which are capable of expansion as the demand for air travel grows. It would not be desirable, in our opinion, from the point of view of safety or utility, to start services on a large scale before it is known whether air travel can be successful financially, and whether it is desired by any large section of the people. We believe that a good foundation has been laid by the licensing of the existing air services, and by the experience which will be gained from them it will be possible to judge better from time to time what further services are needed. ROUTINE BUSINESS. 32. The Board has held meetings in Wellington at regular intervals for the transaction of current business, and to deal with matters referred to it by the Commissioner of Transport. Between these meetings the Board has been kept acquainted by correspondence with matters requiring the Board's attention, and such matters have been dealt with in the same manner. Included in the matters placed before the Board from time to time by the Department, or dealt with by the Board of its own motion, are the questions of simplification of licensing procedure, hours of work for " owner-drivers," and alternative methods for the regulation of goods transport. 33. Further consideration has been given to the simplification of the licensing procedure, and the proposals with regard to the same reached final shape. Legislative sanction for the proposals is necessary to carry them into effect. 34. With regard to the hours of work of owner-drivers, the information furnished by the Department did not impress the Board so far as control by the Transport Administration was concerned. The Board requested further information, but this had not been supplied before the Board ceased to meet, and the matter therefore was not finally dealt with. The questions of hours of work for owner-drivers, and of hours and conditions for driver employees are of some complexity ; one cannot fairly be dealt with apart from the other, and no action can be taken without very full information of all the relative facts, and careful consideration of the results of such action to both classes of drivers and to the industry upon which they are dependent. 2—H. 40A.

9

"" — — — 1 ■""" " "™ From Mileage. Passengers. Goods. Mails. • ! ______ Lb. Lb. Air Travel (N.Z.),iLtd 18/12/34 118,733 2,150 13,411 19,409 East Coast Airways, Ltd. .. .. 17/3/35 129,363 3,808 247' s 98f Cook Strait Airways, Ltd. .. .. 30/12/35 58,000 3,056 3,981 710J Union Airways .. .. 16/1/36 71,575 1,211 861 1,055{ 377,671 10,225 18,500 21,272 * 1st October, 1935, to 31st March, 1936. f Carried on day of commencement of services. % 16th to 31st March only.

Route Services. Air-taxi Services. Total. Pilot. Passengers. Pilot. Passengers. Involving loss of life .. .. .. . ■ • • 1 • • 1 Involving serious injury .. .. .. .. • • -J