WHAKATANE, A FUTURE AIRPORT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 40, 19 January 1943, Page 4

WHAKATANE, A FUTURE AIRPORT

HATS off to Mr Geo. Brabant, first Mayor of the town of Whakatane, and now at an age when most men are thinking of retiring, distinguishing himself by supporting tooth and nail the move for the establishment of an air field, of modern proportions for the town. May his foresight bei rewarded in the near future by the sight of something real and tangible developing along the lines he so consistently champions. It is hardly to the crcdit of the Chamber of Commerce, that the proposal, after an hour's talk, was merely nodded at with a sort of languid approval. What was wanted was action; the calling together of all local bodies interested and the vigour of persistency which achieves its objective in spite of the greatest obstacles. We appear once again to be dangerously drifting down that self-same channel of indifference, which cost us an aerodrome in pre-war days. Here are a few facts: — Whakatane is the natural centre of the Eastern Bay; she' is leader, by way of population, commerce and primary' production; she is a natural port surrounded by thousands of acres of flat plain-land; she is admittedly wealthy and holds potential prospects which must make her a substantial centre. All these things point to Whakatane as she Is to-day and as we here citizens know her. But what of the> future? Here are some fresh meaty points to chew on: (a) Aviation must go ahead by leaps and bounds after a war* when hundreds of thousands have been taught to become air-minded, and when tens of thousands of highly trained pilots will be thrown back into private life, (b) All towns will in time possess their own individual landing fields, but there will be few registered under the heading of 'air port,' a term which will signify a recognised link in the vast airservice lines of the future and will stipulate at least one, mile runways, (c) Already the government is listing work from all over the country suitable for rehabilitation of men from the armed forces, following demobilisation, the development of'aviation, muet, play a prominent part irsj these undertakings. Now is the time to get moving in this most vital matter. This is no time for drifting and apathy. An immediate movement for a convocation of local bodies to go thoroughly into the subject is imperative inf the interests of our town and we must see that it is done and brought to a positive issue.