AIR PORT TO THE FORE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 43, 29 January 1943, Page 5

AIR PORT TO THE FORE

SUGGESTION FOR REHABILITATION COUNTY COUNCIL'S SCHEME "If this! district is goilng to progress as in the past and be up-to-date in the future, it mpst have an air port, and I think this should be first on the

list 'of suggestions put forward "by way of rehabilitation ' projects/' In this way the County * Chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, spoke last Tuesday at the coun•cil meeting when schemes suitable for work nnder the rehahi- " litation of men following the war were under discussion.

The site, he said, was not so important. as the question of coming to a decision as whether or not this -district should have an aerodrome, with feeder taxi landing fields in tlie -surrounding districts.- The council "had to have vision and; lie visualised the time when a small plane could '-be purchased for the price of a car. He mentioned some of the schemes in mind and said' that the cost - could not be considered at this juncture, as he imagined that the financing of public undertakings after the "war would be on a totally different to the. present method. Ambitious List The suggested l programme was submitted by Captain Brebner and read:— 1. Commercial and.-Taxi Air Port. 2. New UotoriuvWhakittane Highway. 3. New Tauranga-Wliakatane > Highway. 4. Taxi air fields at Matata. To Teko, Whakatane, Taneatua and Waimana. 5. New Whakatane-Opotiki High~way (embracing reclamation areas .at Ohiwa. Kutarere Wharf would have to be considered). 6. Ohiwa reclamation projects. 7. Kopeopeo River bend cut to provide better drainage and obviate -flooding. 8. Waiolio Stream drainage cut '(White Pine Bush southwards). 9. Roading. milling and'developing of block bounded by Rangitaiki iHiver, -Awakeri and Waioho Stream including Sisam ? s back country. 10. New road to connect Whaka-tane-Opotiki Highway with Wainui • and Nukuhou district. 11. Boring for further hot min- ■ oral water and developing of Awakeri Hot Springs. 12. Deviation and block cutting -Eagle's HiL! 1 , Waimana. 13. Development of Pikowai and adjacent lands; insight of new methods and farming practice. Discussing the matter further 'Captain Brebner said he had: since drawing up the list thought of several other schemes which he itemisted::— (a) Hydro Elcctric Scheme for Rangitaiki. (b) Housing scheme to include all il'arm buildings. (c) Re-alignment of country main ■roads before sealing. (d) Extension of Native Farm • Schemes. (e) Establishment of Free Trade for the purpose of training apprentices. tf) River straightening and improvement schemes. / (g) Imposition of assets tax "which, would replace the present methods of taxation and bring about the de-rating of farm lands and thf* abolition of the Hospital Tax. (h) Modern machinery to be utilised in all county undertakings. Question of Finance Cr McCready said that all the -above suggestions would be alright if they could be financed without "incurring a new load of public debt. He suggested the cleaning up of the •country's domestic problems before reaching" out into fantastic schemes which had first to be experimented •with. He said that in the past the •Creator had put everything that was needed for mankind's comfort, on the earth, yet ma.n felt that he /must set up a debt, system betffcyq he could get it. The Chairman: They'll learn in time! Cr McCready: They'll' never learn while there's money to be mase ■from .war. Importance of Settlement Cr Cawte thought the council was straying far from the intention of the Rehabilitation Committee's letter. All that was wanted was a list -of works that the county could undertake by way of absorbing men 4ifter the war. To his mind roadjng

and settlement were of paramount importance. Improve the back blocks and encourage more people, to take up the land, he said, then we can get on to the bigger things. The chairman remarked that, the council had to take a wide view and push its; own interests first. TljeT; list would be held over for future suggestions and would be forwarded later on when completed.