AERODROME PROPOSAL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 86, Issue 7, 30 June 1944, Page 5

AERODROME PROPOSAL

NO FURTHER CONFERENCE WANTED

COUNTY COUNCIL'S STAND r The Whakatane County Coun- : cil decided in answer to the most recent letter from the Borough Council to make its attitude very clear with regard to its disinterestedness in the formation 1 of a district Airport Board. It s desires no conference or meeting with the Borough represens tatives and has definitely refuss ed to accept any financial responsibility in a project which it claims is a national responsibility. ; In its effort to reintroduce the - subject the Borough Council's letter which was considered at Tues- ' day Is meeting stated: — "The Council wishes a discussion ! with your Council of a most preliminary nature. It makes no suggestion of any immediate expenditure and, no doubt, representations will later be made to the Government for substantial assistance respecting the project. The Acting Controller of Civil Aviation has suggested that the County and Borough Councils should combine to form an Airport Board, and the Council wishes to discuss this suggestion with your Council, and such other relevant matters (if any) which the two bodies might see fit to discuss." The chairman in commenting on the above said that the Works Committee had considered the letter and felt that the Council had its hands full enough without worrying about financing an aerodrome which was finitely a national responsibility. Cr Hunter observed that, an aerodrome coukl be constructed either by the State; or by private enter-' prise. "I'm very glad that the Council has decided to side-step any new effort to put the ratepayers in the pawnshop," said Cr McCready. "I think the Borough Council very inconsistent, when it expressed its fears to the Hon. Nordmeyer, regarding the increasing hospital rate, and then seeks to become a party to further heavy expenditure, in financing an aerodrome. It means the same thing—the ratepayers would be penalised and shouldered with the burden of financing it." He added that in the post-war period, private enterprise would quickly take the matter up if there was any money in it. The Council decided that the Whakatane Borough Council be advised that it was the considered opinion of this Council that the provision of an aerodrome was a national responsibility and that as the Council was not prepared to accept any financial responsibility for a local aerodrome, it would be futile for it be. a member of a local airport board and consequently the discussion desired by the Borough Council would be a needless waste of time.