STILL HOPEFUL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 9, 19 September 1944, Page 5

STILL HOPEFUL

DISTRICT AERODROME

PROPOSAL

FURTHER APPROACH TO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Whakatane Borough Council, in response to the County Council's offer to co-operate with it in representing to 'the Government that the establishing of an aerodrome was essential to the ha's once more decided to seek a conference on the question. Although the County Council reiterated its previous intention of having nothing to do with any movement which might involve the rating of land, Cr Armstrong contended that its offer of joint representations to the Government could be taken as a willingness to get together. Cr Warren thought that a better scheme would be tp set up an Airport Board within the Borough with a number of responsible citizens to go into the possibilities of establishing an aerodrome. The Mayor: I am not in favour of forming a board without the County Council. We will be relying on the County's goodwill to carry their share should any project arise out of the, conference. In the pa:?t, our overtures have been misconstrued. All we asked the County to do was to discuss- the matter with us and I take it that we would go into the matter of constitution representation, finance and Government assistance. We might feel that the Government should carry the whole responsibility but unless we do something, \ve will be by-pass-ed.-1 personally would not do anything of a financial nature without reference to the ratepayers and the County Council lias the same protection. These are the points w e want the County Council to discuss and I don't think it is any good of us going ahead by ourselves.. To bring it to a successful conclusion Ave need the County.

tor Creeke. added that he had written the letter appearing in the Beacon in order to clear the air as he had felt that County ratepayers generally had been, led to believe that their only interest was to pledge them to new rates. The Mayor said he considered the opportunity to move was here and now. It would be a great pity if they did not seize it. Whakatane would certainly be overlooked if, when the time came for the establishment of air routes it had nothing to offer by way of public interest or active plans. He moved that the County be thanked for their offer of co-operation and be invited to discuss with the Borough Council what form this co-operation should take. The Deputy Mayor contended that in a growing district such as this' from which so many young airmen had already gone to serve overseas it became the duty of local bodies to do all in their power to establish, aerodromes and landing fields. If they did not do that they deserved to be called a back number. It was folly to close the door altogether, [f everyone sat down and said a project, could not be done there would be no progress at all. Aviation in civilian life wa9 going to be one of the major commercial activities after the war. In putting the motion to the meeting, the Mayor said he was willing to explore every avejiue whereby Borough and County could be brought together to act in concert on a friendly basis in the interests of aviation.