“No Priorities In Airport Development”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29516, 18 May 1961, Page 16

“No Priorities In Airport Development”

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 17. An outline of civil aviation policy has been given by the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr McAlpine). The outline was contained in a letter to the secretary of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand (Mr A. O. Heany), which has been released by Mr McAlpine after a misunderstanding when part of the letter was published.

Mr McAlpine says that no priorities were mentioned in the letter in respect to airport development, apart from the listing of the routes in three categories. The mention of towns was in geographical order, and not in order of priority. The letter saiid that the Government wished to preserve for the people of New Zealand the right to engage in civil aviation. Reciprocal rights and privileges would be handled to secure the maximum benefit for New Zealand. New Zealand aircraft would also play an adequate part <n expanding tourist traffic

"To follow this policy among other things. New Zealand must have a modern international airport capable of handling intercontinental jet aircraft, as used and planned to be used bv overseas airlines,’’ said Mr Mc-

Alpine. “We are therefore pressing ahead with the building of Mangere Airport as the international airport for this country.” Internal Services

Mr McAlpsne said that for internal services it was the policy of his Government that there would be a progressive transfer to the user of the full cost of providing the ancillary airport and airways facilities required for these services. At the same time an endeavour would be made to provide public air transport within the financial means of the average family traveller. Of the N.A.C. re-equipment programme and its development of aerodromes and facilities to higher standards, Mr McAlpine said: “The rates at which these secondary airports will be developed is set by three main factors—the staging of the N.A.C. aircraft replacement programme Itself, the amount of the country’s resources which can be economically allocated to aviation, and the readiness of the various local authorities themselves, as joint owners with the Government, and as managers, to divert some of their own resources to this development.”

He explained that for the last few years the second factor had been the important one. The limitation of manpower had prevented

aviation from meeting the growing demand for development. “The time involved in developing an adequate system of airports for the new types of aircraft will be up to seven years, according to the degree of priority given to the works concerned.” Trunk Route

Mr McAlpine said in th« letter: “Priority is of course being given to the trunk route—Auckland, Wellington. Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. Next come the Cook Strait routes—Wellington, Blenheim and Nelson—and secondary airports, that is, centres of city status served by National Airways services Hamilton, Wanganui, Napier, Hastings. Gisborne. Tauranga and New Plymouth. "The Civil Aviation Administration is concerned with the development of aviation and by no means solely with the provision of facilities for the major operator, N.A.C. The other aviation activities in the aggregate are even more important to the economy of New Zealand, but they are unable to represent their needs as effectively as the corporation. “Consideration must be given by the CA.A. to the special requirements of the aerial work industry, to air freighting in general, to aero clubs, to other commercial operators, to specialist activities such as helicopter and the short take-off and landing operations, and to private flying,” the Minister said.