RONGOTAI AIRFIELD

Chronicle (Levin), 11 February 1948, Page 7

RONGOTAI AIRFIELD

press AssociaticmJ

Modified Plan Is To Be Proceeded With

(Per

WELLLNttTOJN, f'cb. 1U. Tlie Prime Minister, Mr: ' Fraser, atated today that the -Grovetnment had considered tlie report reccntly received fi'om the special committee set up to deal with air facilities throughout the Doniinion. This committee had reviewed the proposal submitted by the Wellington (Jity Engineer, Mr. K. E. Luke, providing aerodrome facilities at Rongotai with a minimum disturbance of housing. With some modilications the committee ywas of oplnion that Mr. Luke "s proposal couid be endorsed as being sound in principle. The eommit- , tee stated that the scheme 'would pro vide for.-all immediate air transport requirements, both in respect of day operations and limited night operations, and the scheme would lend itself to subsequent future development if and wheu such should beconie necessary. The whole proposal was discussed further today, Mr. Fraser stated, with representatives of the Oity Council and of the Wellington Harbour Board who were formally apprised of the modiiied reco'mmendations of the committee and the Government's acceptance of those recommendations. The committee 's recommendations involved the development of a substantial area now under the control of' the Marbour Board and the Citv Council itself was aii'ected in many ways. The adoption of the city engineer 's [iroposal would necessitate inajor aiteratious to tramways and general traffic routes and the shifting of main servlces such as water and sewerage. Further, 3t had to be reruembered that the aerodrome. up to the present, was the property of the Wellington City Council and was adininistered by that bodv. The ultiuiate torm of control of aerodromes whicli had both national and local siguifieauce, was now receiving Ihe consideration of the Government. The iirst report received on Itongotai before the outbreak of war, recommeuded the disturbance of upwaids of some 250 houses. Houses which would require to "Be sliifted under tlie city engineer ;s present pyo posal were (31, in addition to which seven houses would have t'O be demolished on aceount of their conditiou or beeause they were built of brick or concrete and could not be shifted. lu discussing the matter with local bodv representatives today, tlie Prime Minister stated lie made it perfeetly Ldear, with the expressed approval of ail present, that evfirv liouseholder affected should be individually approached -before any steps were taktin to acquire his property. It was proposed to shift 61 houses to alternative locations. Individual householders would retain the clioice as to whether they would live iu alternative loca-tions or be otherwise compensated.^ Ail householders concerned would be approached courteouslv and their cooperation requested. They would be trentcd fairly and indeed generousiy •uid all circumstances and difficulfies would be taken into acPount in determining -reallocation, replac'emeut "ibr eompensation. : I y Xegotiations with tlre'City' Council aud Harbour , Board, ' Mf. Firaser i'eort linued, would now be proceeded witli but thefe were other important matters which would also require immediate eonsideration. Rongotai College was in ihe liue of the main runway and the adoption of Mr. Luke 's modiiied pro oosal would necessitate plans being preparod at once for the reestablishniem of the college on an alteruative site still to be aequired. Advautage will be . aken by tlie Co\ ei'ainent to provid'e on ihe new site educatioual facilities fui 'lu- area, which it was not possible to provide with Rongotai College iu its .present location. The Prime Minister eontinued that the whole subject of an aerodrome for V\ eHington had been under review by Ihe Govermuent over the last ten,years. It had to be remembered, however, that at the beginning of the war an exhibiI ion w.is lieid on the site of the aerodrome and that during the war, wlieu the aerodrome was used for military purposes, development work was not possible. Since the cessation of hostilities the exhibition buildings had been used for the . storage of large quautities of Government owned materials1 and up to the present tiuie any expenditure on providing alternative storage or for building another college or shifting houseS, had been quite out t of the question. The Government had taken partieuiar pains to examine every possible alternative to Rongotai. Xo eifort had been

spared in an endeavour to lind a site for the airport which would avoid a disturbanuce to the housing involved at Rongotai and "it was with utmost reluctance that the Government had come to the conclusion that no suitable alternative to Rongotai eould be found. He personully regretted very much that the search for a more happy solution had not been suecessful. In collaboration with the local interr ests involved, the Government would now proceed with further necessary plans and preparations and with work that it is at present possible to undertake. It must be realised, however, that the rebuilding of Rongotai College and the shifting of the houses affected, would talye some considerabie time so that the full construction proposals submitted by the city engineer, even with the fijdlest cooperation of ail interests, would take at least tour years to complete and possibly longer, depending on the availability of materials and other factors.' "I am informed," concluded Mr. Fraser, "that there would be no ueed for the removal of any homes for a period of about two years."