Important Airways Development - Cook Strait Airways' Service to Hokitika

As early as October 1934 the still unregistered Cook Strait Airways was planning an air service between Wellington and Hokitika. Wellington’s Evening Post of the 30th of October reported that, “An air service joining Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, and Hokitika is planned by Cook Strait Airways, a new company of which registration will be gazetted within a few days. The three main shareholders are the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Ltd., Newman Brothers, Ltd., and the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company, Ltd. The present intention is that the company aeroplanes shall leave Wellington in the morning and cross to Blenheim, Nelson, and Hokitika, which will be reached about noon. There the service will connect with the South Westland service, to be operated by the company in which Mr. J. C. Mercer is interested. In the afternoon the machine will return by the same route, arriving at about 5 or 0 o'clock in the evening. The schedule is, however, only tentative, as the company has at present no idea what type of aeroplanes it will use, except that, because of the water crossing, they will have more than one engine.”

Cook Strait Airways began operations between Wellington and Blenheim and Nelson on the 30th of December 1935 using de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapides ZK-AED Venus (c/n 6305) and ZK-AEE Jupiter (c/n 6306) but it was to be some 15 months later before the company expanded south to Hokitika. The first move towards inaugurating this service was the arrival in Wellington of the company’s third de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide on the 19th of September 1936. The Evening Post reported that the aircraft had been shipped “from England, via Auckland, by the liner Tamaroa. The machine, which has a slightly higher performance than the two already in use, will be used first as a relief machine, and subsequently tor the extension to Hokitika via Westport and Greymouth.” The new aircraft was subsequently registered ZK-AEC (c/n 6334) and named Mercury. However, by the time the service was ready to be inaugurated the company had received its fourth Dragon Rapide, ZK-AEW (c/n 6343), which was named Mars.

By early February 1937 plans for the West Coast service were well under way. Both the Greymouth and Hokitika aerodromes were expanded to handle the Dragon Rapides and the Greymouth Aero Club erected buildings for the company to use. The company proposed that a-fairly powerful wireless station should be erected at Hokitika, with lesser stations at the intermediate aerodromes, Westport and Greymouth, though at this stage Westport was not to be included due to its aerodrome being reduced in size by sea erosion.

On the 20th of February 1937 De Havilland 89A Dragon Rapides ZK-AEC, named Mercury, and ZK-AEW, Mars, flew a survey flight from Nelson to Hokitika and Greymouth. The Hokitika Guardian reported on that day that The town was air-minded for a while this morning when two planes of the Cook Strait Airways fleet arrived over the town and circled around a couple of times before landing at Southside. Two of the local aeroplanes had gone up just before their arrival to welcome the visiting planes, which were six seaters. On board the aircraft were Messrs H C Cock (chairman of directors), E H Thomson (managing director), J Newman, H R Duncan and O G White (directors Cook Strait Airways), Kelvin Jones (traffic clerk), and W. Temple (chief ground engineer). On arrival a welcome was extended by Mr H T Parry, president of the West Coast Federated Aero Club, the Mayor (Mr G A Perry), Mr J A Murdoch (Westland County), Mr T W Duff (Hospital Board), Mr G Chapman (Ross Aero Club), and Mr R Chesterman. Mr H. C. Cook replied. At 2.00pm the planes departed for Greymouth where the Karoro aerodrome and the aero club’s hangar and clubrooms were officially opened. 

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1937

De Havillands over Hokitika on the survey flight of 20 February 1937 - Above, Cook Strait Airways' de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapides ZK-AEC and ZK-AEW in formation over Hokitika with Air Travel (NZ)'s de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI. Hokitika's Southside airfield is to the right of the road-rail bridge. Below, Cook Strait Airways' de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide ZK-AEC and an Air Travel (NZ) de Havilland Fox Moth over Seaview hospital and what was to become, some 15 years later, Hokitika's new Seaview airport. 

Above, some of the dignitaries after a formal photo on the day of the survey flight to Hokitika on 22 February 1937... including on the left Cook Strait Airways' managing director Ernie Thomson and one of the two pilots George Bolt, under the nose of Dragon Rapide ZK-AEC Bert Mercer, managing director of Air Travel (NZ) and Jack Newman of the Newmans Group. Below Dragon Rapide ZK-AEW being inspected by interested locals.  

The first attempted scheduled flight took place on the 23rd of February 1937 but the flight encountered bad weather rounding Farewell Spit and had to return to Nelson. The Hokitika Guardian of the 24th of February 1937 reported Bad weather conditions, in the form of mist and fog along the West Coast which made for poor visibility were responsible yesterday for the abandonment of the initial service flight from Nelson to Greymouth and Hokitika by Cook Strait Airways, Ltd. As scheduled, one of the D.H. Rapides 89 left Nelson at 8 a.m., carrying three passengers for Hokitika and a large quantity of mail, but after proceeding along the coast, as far as Farewell Spit, the pilot found conditions worsening, with poor visibility, and, in view of the adverse meteorological reports concerning the conditions north of Westport, and the definite instructions of the company that no risks were to be taken whatsoever the route, he decided to return to Nelson. In the afternoon conditions along the coast had not improved and it was decided to abandon the flight for the day. The service came through to Hokitika this morning, arriving at 10.30 o'clock.

The Coast weather again precluded this first flight operating direct to Greymouth with the aircraft, Dragon Rapide ZK-AEW Mars, under the command of Captain George Bolt, having to fly around Farewell Spit and then down the Coast. The delayed flight arrived at Greymouth at 10.00am before continuing on to Hokitika arriving at 10.30am. The nortbound flight departed Hokitika at 11am with a full passenger list (six) and five bags of mail, taking off very smoothly for the outward journey.

Two date stamps on the first day covers, reflecting the interrupted first flights...

 

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1937

Evening Post, 13 March 1937

The timetable for the three day a week service which operated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays started from Nelson rather than from Wellington. The service departed Nelson at 8 a.m., arriving at Greymouth at 9.15am for a 15 minute stop before continuing to Hokitika, arriving there at 9.45am in time to connect with road services to South Westland. The call at Greymouth enabled passengers from the north to connect with the Greymouth-Christchurch express at 10.18 a.m. The northbound flight left Hokitika at 10.30am for the 15 minute flight to Greymouth. Again a 15 minute stop was scheduled before the flight left Greymouth at 11.00am to arrive in Nelson at 12.15pm. A connecting flight to Wellington left at 1.45pm. Fares were set initially at £4 5s from Nelson to Greymouth and £4 10s from Nelson to Hokitika. The fare to or from Wellington was 30/- higher and between Greymouth and Hokitika the princely sum of 10/- was charged.

The new service proved particularly popular with northbound passengers who were able to fly right through to Wellington. The southbound service, which originated in Nelson, was not as well patronised as passengers from Wellington either had to fly over the previous afternoon or cross Cook Strait by the overnight ferry to Nelson. Responding to this need, from the 1st of October 1937 the service ran Wellington-Nelson-Greymouth-Hokitika and return three days a week. Dragon Rapide ZK-AED Jupiter inaugurated the expanded service. The new through service left Wellington’s Rongotai Airport at 7.45 a.m. arriving at Nelson, arriving at 8.30. After a 15 minute stop the aircraft left on a direct flight to Greymouth, and after a few minutes stop, it continued on to Hokitika, arriving at 10.40 a.m. Cook Strait Airways’ northbound service to Nelson and Wellington arrived back in Wellington at 2.15 p.m. 

At Hokitika Air Travel (NZ) adopted a new timetable enabling passengers from Wellington to fly to Franz Josef or Fox Glaciers and South Westland in a single day. The Air Travel (NZ) connection to the Glaciers didn’t produce a huge amount of traffic, the first passenger availing himself of the new service being Mr J. L. Squire, of Union Airways. From Wellington to Franz Josef the trip took three and a half hours, compared with three days by boat and service car!

The meeting of the air services... Cook Strait Airways De Havilland 89A Dragon Rapide ZK-AEE ad De Havilland 83 Fox Moth ZK-AEK at Hokitika.

Evening Post, 22 June 1938

One of the major issues of Hokitika's Southside aerodrome was it being prone to flooding and become boggy. This was reason for Cook Strait Airways only incident. On the 5th of August 1937 Dragon Rapide ZK-AEE nosed over while taxiing after striking a soft patch of ground. As it was travelling slowly at the time there was little damage done, and no injuries were sustained by the pilot, Mr Arthur Orchard, or his passengers. 

Ouch, de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide ZK-AEE on its nose at Hokitika on 4 August 1937. 

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1938

On the 23rd of April 1938 the Hokitika Guardian reported that Due to the state of the Hokitika aerodrome following upon the recent flooding, it has been decided that for the next fortnight Greymouth will be the terminus of the Cook Strait Airways passenger plane service. The plane did not proceed beyond Greymouth yesterday morning, it being considered inadvisable to attempt a landing at Hokitika. As it happened the service to Hokitika never resumed with the West Coast service terminating in Greymouth. The last Cook Strait Airways service to Hokitika was flown on the 20th of April 1938. The Hokitika Guardian recorded the details of the last flight with the following were passengers inward and outward by the Cook Strait Airways service this morning: Mr A. Warnes Greymouth to Hokitika and return; Mr B. Rope, Hokitika to Wellington.

FLEET

ZK-AEC         de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide      Mercury          c/n 6334
ZK-AED         de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide      Venus             c/n 6305
ZK-AEE         de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide      Jupiter            c/n 6306
ZK-AEW        de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide       Mars               c/n 6343
ZK-AGT         de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide      Neptune         c/n 6423