AIRPORT QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 200, 22 May 1944, Page 6

AIRPORT QUESTION

Cr. Appleton Reviews Its Development

SUPPORT OF RECORDS

Cr. Will Appleton. Citizens’ candidate for mayor, answered Labour's campaign circular question “Has Wellington an airport for toinorow’s age?” at Houghton Valley on Saturday night. In spite ot the necessary commandeer of commercial aircraft for war purposes, 7810 aircraft (including service machines) landed at the airport for the year ended March, JJ44, against G 702 in 1943, and *>BBl in he said. Of the 15 commercial aerodromes in New Zealand, that, of . Wellington handled 40 per cent, of the total passengers carried from all aerodromes for the year just ended, and had an equally high proportion of freight and mails. The figures were, with those lor ad New Zealand in parentheses: —Passenger arrivals. 15,160 (37,345). departures lo.dW (37,435) : freight, inward 46,3011 b.. outward 98,842 (191.114): 77.0071 b.. outward 9u,912 (244,614). He was one of the founders ot the Wellington Aero Club which began flying at. the airport after the late Sir George Troup opened it in 1927. with an area ot 66 acres, 45 of which were suitable for flying purposes. Next, year an addition of 144 acres was made. In U4O, there were 85 acres available by menus of added laud from a golf club and other work. Commercial flying had begun ill the rear he became works committee chairman. and the whole development work had been carried out by the city engineers department, with the ready co-oepratiou ot all Governments. Cr. Appleton said he was one who successfully opposed halting airport development during the depression. Bv 1942, the area had been increased to 106 acres. M hen the improvements recommended by the commission which sat before the war were carried out. the area would be 208 acres, with one runway more than a mile and another three-quar-ters of a mile. The report of that commission was still in Government hands despite efforts to have it released. Concerning council staff. Cr. Appleton said some anomalies, specially those affecting medium-grade workers, would have to be #

Cr W. n. Stevens referred to the candidature of Mr. P. A. Hansen. M ellington and national tramways union secretary for the council. He described this as 'an attempt to create the position of having one foot under the council table and the other in the trades hall: to decide as a councillor what the union would instruct. Mr. Hansen to oppose; to instruct the tramways management with one voice and obstruct, with another; to urge increases for the union before the Court of Arbitration and then opposeany move by the council to balance these on the revenue side. Who would get the best service in the event of that nosition arising—the public or the union. He would leave that to electors to decide.