THE AERODROME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 73, 11 October 1939, Page 5

THE AERODROME

PAROA SITE THE BEST RESULT OF INSPECTION As a result oi' continued interest taken by the Council some progress > been" made Avith the question of an aerodrome and the site at Paroa. has been selected as the most suitable. This was revealed by the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, "who told Monday night's c-oun cil meeting that a joint borough and county committee had inspected sites with Mr R. H. P. Ronayne, District Public Works Engineer, The correspondence contained a letter from the Hon. R. Semple stating that he was in receipt of a letter

J concerning the establishment of an k aerodrome, an,(l that he would careCnll.v consider the matters raised, * and let the council have a further 5 reply as soon as he could,. Amplifying this Mr Barry said > that with Cr J. L. Bnrnctt, chair- : man of the county council. Cr L. W, 1 Luxton, and Mr G. H, Brebner, re- " presenting the county, he, Cr W. Sullivan and the borough foreman, Mr W. S. Henderson, had mot Mr " Ronavnc and had inspected Gobbie's, ■ Trcvmv.a's, Shaw's and the native ■ property. Gobbie's property was cllf- ■ ficult because of the large number ' of trees and electric lines overhead. * A considerable amour.t would have r to be taken from Trcvurza's adjoining property, and a small portion taken from another farm in, order to 5 provide the minimum runways 1000 " yards long. Only one runway could b" * made nnd there was no hope of ex- ' tending the landing ground. Another f disadvantage was that the aerodrome 3 would be off the route taken by the - .planes when travelling to Auckland, PAROA BEST. The Paroa site seemed the best. There was room for extension, anc e it was moite or less on the plant? e route. The question of flooding hac been raised, but Mr Tlonayne wa' r satisfied that it would present nc insuperable difficulty. He could dea with anv surface water, and the onlj time the field would be so budlj

flooded as to be unusable would be when flying conditions were impossible over an extensive area. Tlie whole cf the ground work •would be done by "his departnicntl and only when they were satisfied it was a proper state would it be handed over. Mr Ronayne had said he would communicate with his head office and find out if they were prepared to go on with the plan. They were now waiting For word from the Government.