First Airmail Delivery

Auckland to Dargaville

Asked to “investigate the practical utility of the conveyance of mail matter by air in New Zealand”, the NZ Government authorised a trial flight from Auckland to Dargaville and return, constituting the first official airmail flight in New Zealand.  At the time of this decision, Kaipara lad turned parliamentarian, Hon J Gordon Coates, was the Postmaster General.

The New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama was contracted to the Postal Department to fly their Boeing twin-float seaplane, fitted with a 125hp Hall-Scott engine, and Mr George Bolt was selected as the pilot.  To undertake this trial, Mr Bolt was sworn in as an official mail carrier, in accordance with the postal regulations.  

Pictured:  George Bolt

On Tuesday, 16th December 1919, the Walsh Brothers Boeing Seaplane arrived off the Launch Landing at Queen Street, Auckland at 10 am manned by George Bolt as pilot and Leo Walsh, director of the NZ Flying School.  At 10.15am, the plane took off and eventually reached Dargaville at 11.50 am.  

No air mail fee was charged on letters carried but senders were requested to endorse letters with the words “Per Aerial Mail” or “By Air Mail”.  The mail consisted of three bags containing 825 letters and bundles of newspapers. On the return journey three mail bags were carried consisting  1,220 letters, 17 packets and 9 newspapers.

The Route

As the aircraft was a float plane, the route taken was based around being able to land on a body of water anywhere along the route.  On leaving the man-of-war steps opposite the end of Albert Street, Auckland, the Boeing Seaplane passed North Head, Whangaparaoa Peninsula, Kawau and Leigh before heading inland, it was sighted at Pahi, Ruawai, and Tokatoka before arriving at Dargaville and landing on the Northern Wairoa River.  During the 1 hour and 35 minutes from Auckland to Dargaville the aircraft reached an altitude of 4,200 feet (approx 1.2 kilometres in metric measure).  

The Welcome

There was a large crowd waiting when the seaplane landed and the celebrations included the ringing of the fire bell and the blowing of sirens at the local factories and river steamers in port.  Pilot George Bolt and owner, Mr Leo Walsh, together with the Hon J G Coates, were the guests of honour at a luncheon held at the Northern Wairoa Hotel.  

Pictured:  Hon J G Coates

The Return Journey

The Boeing float plane took to the air again at 3 pm and followed the Northern Wairoa River and into the Kaipara Harbour.   Over Ruawai, a mail bag was dropped from an altitude of 1,000 feet (approx 304 metres) and landed just 19 feet (approx 6 metres) away from the white sheet laid out as a drop zone.  Onwards via Helensville and Riverhead to the Waitemata Harbour, arriving back in Auckland at 4.23 pm, where she gently dropped onto the water opposite the Harbour Boards office. The journey from Dargaville to Auckland took 1 hour and 23 minutes and the distance of the whole journey was approximately 192 miles (approx 309 km today).

The Future of Airmail

The experiment was considered a success and the Postal Department intended to provide for regular services between Dargaville, Whangarei, and Thames early in 1920.  George Bolt commented that he was “more than satisfied with his experience” and the New Zealand Flying School entered into a contract with the Postal Department to carry out the preliminary service.

The Airmail Service to Dargaville

Three further airmail service flights were made to Dargaville on 8th March 1920, 11th March 1920 and 31st March 1920.  During each of these journeys, a bag of mail was dropped at Ruawai and also at Kaiwaka and Matakohe on the latter journey.  The earlier trips were uneventful but on the third event, as the seaplane was coming into land on the Northern Wairoa River, damage occurred to one of the floats.  The damaged float was repaired in Dargaville and the seaplane returned to Auckland on 3 April 1920.

Pictured: Boeing Flight Plane damaged on it's third visit to Dargaville

Airmail services continued as evidenced by this clipping from the Auckland Star dated 17 April 1920 announcing that the mail to Dargaville and Ruawai will be delivered by air - weather permitting.

Pictured: Clipping from Auckland Star 17 April 1920