Aerodrome For Whakatane

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 33, 26 May 1947, Page 5

Aerodrome For Whakatane

HISTORY OF EVENTS TO DATE

FURTHER STEP TAKEN A further step towards their ultimate goal, that of obtaining an aerodrome for the Whakatane district was taken by representatives of the Whakatane Borough Council, County Council, Aero and Glider Club and the Chamber of Commerce held in Whakatane on Thursday. Present were Messrs. L. W. Luxton in the chair, H. G. Warren, C. S. Armstrong, R. T. Morpeth, E. Brown, D. G. Hills, C. H. Brebner, H. Morgan, C. L. Jordon and the secretary, L. D. Lovelock. The minutes of the meeting held on April 1, 1947, as read were confirmed. Aerodrome Reserve It was intimated that the Borough Council had moved a resolution asking the Minister to take steps to set -aside the sandhills site as a permanent aerodrome reserve. “That the County Council be asked to support the Borough Council in its request to set aside the sandhills site as a reserve for aerodrome .purposes.” ?• Committees Report The Committee’s report setting out the case for the establishment of an aerodrome for Whakatane and district was then submitted to the meeting. . s A motion: “That the committee’s report be received and adopted and that the committee be congratulated upon the manner in which the report had been drawn up” was carried. In discussing the report the following points were noted:— 1. That both the County Council, Borough Council and Associated Rodies are unanimous in their decision to have the aerodrome established on the Sandhills Site.

areas of land. Since the outbreak of war, it has, however, been necessary to confine expenditure on aerodrome development to that, necessary in the interests of the war effort.

In the case of Whakatane, I am informed that there is some difference of opinion between the two local authorities concerned,. and I would suggest that any steps taken now to resolve the differences of opinion would be of assistance to the Government when the development of an aerodrome for Whakatane is under consideration.” (b) The activities of the Whakatane Aero and Gliding Club. Letter from Resident Engineer P.W.D., Tauranga, dated August 29, 1946: “Over a period of years very exhaustive searches have been made adjacent to the Whakatane Borough in order to obtain a flying field and site No. 1 (the sandhills site) was selected as being the most suitable for all purposes. The two main features about this particular area was that it is not subject to flooding and was approximately on the Tauranga-Opotiki air route. When developed, the runways would be as follows: East-West 1130yds North South 830yds North, North West 900yds North, North East 1120yds

Site No. 2 (Shaw’s) would make an excellent aerodrome but it was considered too far out of town.”

Letter from Minister of Defence, dated January 27, 1947: “Reports on the sandhills site have now been received which show that although an aerodrome could be established on this site, the cost of levelling and providing a satisfactory surface would v preclude any possibility of the-work being undertaken at present.”

Letter from Acting Controller of Civil Aviation, dated March 10, 1947: “There is little that can be added to the information already given to you by the Honourable Minister of Defence in July and January last. While I hope that a commercial aerodrome for Whakatane will be developed in due course, it would not be possible to justify the comparatively large amount of work which would be involved before more urgent needs for the improvement of existing aerodromes serving established air routes have been met.”

2. That the Whakatane Paper Mills which in itself has contributed to the expansion of the Borough and district, and which is in the near :future undertaking additional industrial expansion will further contribute to the increased population of the district.

• 3. The Whakatane Sawmillers Ltd. have recently opened up a mill in the Borough and itis held upon good .authority that further expansion and establishment of timber mills are to take place in the upper Rangitaiki bush areas.

Resolution of the joint meeting of the representatives of the Whakatane Borough Council, the Whakatane County Council and the Whakatane Aero and Gliding Club, held on April 1, 1947: “That this meeting comprising representatives of the Whakatane Borough Councli, the Whakatane County Council, the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce and the Whakatane Aero and Gliding Club unanimously approve the sandhills site as an aerodrome site for’ Whakatane and district.” 2. Why an aerodrome should be established: (a) Whakatane and district is in the centre of the Bay of Plenty and aproximately midway on the air route between Tauranga and Opotiki.

4. Whakatane and Ohope are becoming ever more popular with tourists, and a quick air service established between Auckland • and Whakatane would undoubtedly increase the flow of traffic in so far as tourists were concerned. 5. The industrial and commercial expansion that has taken place in recent years and which is indicated for the future, makes it ever more desirable for business men to have a quick means of transportation between suburban and metropolitan areas. Report Submitted to Minister A motion that the report as drafted, and the plans of the proposed aerodrome be submitted to the appropriate Minister through the Member for the District, Mr W. Sullivan, :M.P., was carried.

(b) Population: Whakatane Borough 2890, Whakatane County 10,309 total 13,199. Opotiki Borough 1560, Opotiki County 4800, total 6360. (c) Future Development: Whakatane and district has only in recent years undergone a process of development, swamp lands have been drained, fertile farm lands established and the productivity of the district considerably increased. Development is still being carried out and will do so for a number of years with a consequent influx of population.

REPORT HISTORY OF EVENTS TO DATE Following is a copy of the report: (a) The activities of the Whakatane County Council and the Wha;katane Borough Council Aerodrome Committee. A meeting held on November 23, 1944 decided, inter alia, that in the course of post-war development it was desirable that Whakatane and district should be served by an aerodrome and that everything possible rshould be done to have an aerodrome established locally. Letter from Union Airways of N.Z. Ltd.—dated December 12, ■“Where provision has been made for :a suitable aerodrome and sufficient traffic is offering this Company will be definitely interested in the inauguration of a service. Only a tentative survey has been made of the 'Whakatane district but it would appear that in the ultimate an air service will in some way be necessary to meet the. requirements of your district.” Letter from Minister of Defence •dated July 24, 1945: “Prior to the war, it was the policy of the Gov--ernment, in localities where the necessity for civil aerodromes was established, to develop aerodromes provided the local bodies obtained js. satisfactory tenure of suitable

The intercensal increase of the Whakatane Borough was 50 per cent which was the fifth highest for the Dominion. The four other towns being: Mt. Maunganui Borough 102.2, Howick Town District 81.9, Lower Hutt 75.5 and the Papatoetoe Town District 54.5 per cent.

(d) Transport: The following facilities are at present available to the public: For the purpose of stating a case, Auckland has been taken as the place of destination.

(i) Rail, Whakatane to Auckland: Taneatua Express: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Depart by bus at 7.40 a.m. to connect at Whakatane West and arrive in Auckland at 6.25 p.m. Time: 10 hours 45 minutes. (ii) Road Services: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, depart from Whakatane at 7.5 a.m. to con-

nect with Rotorua Express, rail to Auckland, arrive at 4.30 p.m. Time: 9 hours 25 minutes.

Mondays to Sundays inclusive (Limited to four seats from Whakatane) depart at 12.55 p.m. and arrive Auckland at 8.45 p.m. Time: 7 hours 50 minutes.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, through bus to Auckland (Limited to 3 seats from Whakatane, from Rotorua to Auckland). Depart Whakatane at 7.5 a.m. and arrives Auckland at 4.30 p.m. Time: 9 hours 25 minutes.

(iii) No passenger service by sea. (e) Distance from neighbouring aerodromes: Opotiki 36 road miles, Rotorua 57 road miles, Tauranga 63 road miles, Gisborne 116 road miles. (f) Training Facilities: Outside the metropolitan areas Whakatane has one of the strongest, if not the strongest Air Training Corps units in the country.

Also, the Whakatane Aero and Gliding Club has at present a membership of 120 but unless some definite and immediate provision is made for a landing field within easy reach of Whakatane, this promising club will meet a fate which it does not deserve.

The distance to be travelled by road, by members of both the A.T.C. and the Whakatane Aero and Gliding Club members to receive practical training is far too great for the pockets of the individual members and of their organisation.

Alternative Sites: Members of the local Aerodrome Committee, the Whakatane Aero and Glider Club and Government Department Officials have toured and searched the district for alternative sites and the following observations are recorded: Onepu-Te Teko Site: Is considered too far from the centre of the district and from Whakatane, and most important of all, is too close to the hills and high inland country for a safe all-weather aerodrome. Fogs are experienced at certain times of the year. Night flying may; develop and nothing compares with the aerodrome on the coast. High country would be a serious drawback to any regular service from this site.

Shaw’s Farm: This site, though favoured by some officers of the Public Works Department, must be considered in many veins, and, ignoring the initial cost of acquiring this and any adjacent farm lands considered necessary, the following observations are made: (a) Obstructions: Though several belts of high trees on this and surrounding land would be removed to develop an aerodrome the immediate neighbourhood still has m.any shelter belts of bluegum, pinus and other high trees. Power lines surround the farm and cross many adjacent paddocks.

(b) Not so easily found from the air.

(c) Valuable farming land, producing approximately 40,0001bs butterfat per season. (d) Subject to flooding: Local residents have seen the whole area under water.

(e) Poor natural drainage: At present the farm is divided into paddocks surrounded by open drains. The nature of the- sub-soil, pumice sand, does not suit field or tile drainage. Surface soil very puggy and extremely wet in the winter. Surface water would lie indefinitely. (f) Ground mists and fogs are experienced in this locality. (g) Average height above sea level 4 feet, which allows little fall for adequate drainage. (h) The area is definitely limited for future expansion without encroaching on more valuable farm lands, with their added drainage difficulties.

Conclusion: This committee being comprised of representatives of the Whakatane Borough Council, the Whakatane County Council, the Whakatane Aero and Glider Club, and the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce desires the immediate promotion of an aerodrome for Whakatane and district and consequently desires clarification on the following:—

‘ (1) The Government’s views respecting the development of private arid commercial aviation insofar as Whakatane is concerned.

(2) Before the war, the Public Works Department, was on the point of commencing work on the establishment of a local aerodrome. (i) What, at present, or in the near future, is intended to be done? (ii) How shall the costs of establishment be apportioned? *