REQUEST TO BOARD

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 129, 27 November 1929, Page 12

REQUEST TO BOARD

IMPORTANCE RECOGNISED

A A deputation, headed by Jtr. A. W. ; Nisbet, met the Hutt River Board last night and asked that the Wellington Aero Club shonld be given a chance to acquire part of Gear Island for a .. flying ground. Eongotai, Mr. Nisbet said, could never be used as a solo training ground. The use of Gear Is- ; land for this purpose would be as a stepping-stone towards the attainment

of a commercial airport for the Jal-

ley, and would prevent the "Wellington Aero Club going to Martinborough. The deputation consisted of Messrs A. W. Nisbet, W. H. Leighton, J. Goodwin, G. G. Wallaco, and C. W. Weinstem, the two last-named being members of the Wellington Aero Club. Mr. Nisbet said 4hat the comments he had heard from a number of visitin<* pilots during the recent pageant and an unofficial talk he had had with Wing-Commander Grant-Dalton had made it evident that Bongotai would never be licensed as a solo training ground.- No provision had been made tor an aerodrome in the Hutt Valley, and when he heard of the inadequacy of Eongotai he thought it might be an avenue towards an aerodrome for the Hutt Valley. A public meeting held in Lower Hutt had decided to send a deputation of Hutt Valley enthusiasts and of Wellington Aero Club members to the Minister of Defence and to the local bodies concerned to attempt to get a portion of Gear Island for aviation. They had gone to I Mr. Wilford that afternoon, and he had given his whole-hearted support to the movement. Mr. Nisbet said that he had taken Wing-Commander GrantDalton to' the Island, and he had been very favourably impressed. The Aero Club would not need the whole island, .and would co-operate with tlie Shandou Golf Club in leasing it. Wing-Com-niander Grant-Dalton could see no reason why both golf club and aero club could not use the ground. Moreover, there should be many spare corners for other sports bodies if ,they wanted space. It was difficult for the deputation, in the short time they had, to bring forward definite proposals, but they wished to see the' final disposal of the island held over until they could do so. The Wellington Aero Club would bo gazetted an aviation authority next Thursday, and it would very soon be able to talk business. He personally would be sorry to see the island tied up for years when an aviation ground was becoming a necessity. As a member of the Wellington Aero Club, Mr. Wallace said he regarded Gear Island as very important for the success of the club. The Hutt Valley branch to be formed would have to co-operate with the club, and he was sure that the club would do all it could —financial and otherwise—to secure Gear Island for aviation purposes. Mr. Leighton said he was definitely of the opinion that commercial aviation could be put on as good a footing in New Zealand as it was in other countries. Gear Island was a ground that at present could be used entirely for training purposes, but eventually it would become the industrial air "terminal for Wellington. He would not like to lose the present opportunity of obtaining the island. Mr. Weinstein agreed that the opportunity should be taken now, for if it were lost the Wellington Aero Club would go to the Wairarapa, and surely they did not want that.

Mr. C. Gostelow, a member of the board, asked why Eongotai would not be licensed as a training ground. Mr Nisbet replied that as Rongotai was completely surrounded by houses and hills, pilots in certain winds would have to make a very sharp descent to reach the ground. Gear Island, however, could be approached in a gradual descent. Eongotai was all right for trained pilots but not for beginners It would therefore be licensed for dual control (where a competent instructor accompanied the learner), but not for solo training. Several members of the Aero Club were now doing their dual flying, and they would soon be wanting to fly solo. The club therefore was ready to go on with the Gear island as soon as possible. Mr. Gostelow asked whether the leasing of the island for five years to others who wanted it would put the aviation movement back. Mr. Nisbet replied that it would kill the movement, for the Aero Club could not wait. If they could not get Gear Island it was proposed that they should take their aeroplanes up to Martinborough.

Mr. Goodwin pointed out that at Bongotai there was very little runway into the prevailing wind, and in the event of engine failure soon after taking off an aeroplane could only land on the roofs of the houses. A trained pilot might be able to land on the road or possibly turn back into' the aerodrome, but not so a beginner. At Gear Island there was a run of 900 yards into the prevailing wind, and in the event of engine failure a machine could land in the Hutt Eiver bed.

Mr. J. Mitchell asked whether the Aero Club had financial backing for its scheme, to which Mr. Nisbet replied that it had not yet, but expected to later.

If aviation went ahead to the extent pictured by the deputation, said Mr. F. S. Hewer, where would the other sports on the island go? Mr. Leio'hton replied that they would-be able°to get plenty of small five-acre paddocks round the- Valley, but this was the last chance of getting a forty-acre paddock suitable for an aerodrome. Mr: Nesbit pointed out that the irregularly-shaped pieces of land fringing the island would be available to sport for many years to come.

The deputation having departed the chairman of the board (Mr. W. T Strand) said he had been surprised at the number of people who had come to him to see -what were the possibilities of obtaining Gear Island as an airport. He did not wish to create any parochial feeling between "Wellington and the Hutt Valley, but if the facilities at Eongotai were not of the best and they had in the Valley land more suitable, they should consider its importance, not only to the Valley, but to the whole Wellington district. Aviation was bound to come in a very short time. He believed that the airport would be just as important as the railway station or harbour, and he thought it most fortunate that Gear Island, the property of the board, had been held intact. In his opinion the board should hold over the consideration of the tenders for the lease of the island for a fortnight to give those interested in the aviation movement a chance to get together and present a concrete proposal. If they were to bar the island to aviation for a further five years they should be doing a great wrong to the district. Wing-Commander Grant-Dal-ton had told him that the outlying portions of the island could be used quite well for sport without in any way interfering with flying. llr. W. H. Smith regarded the matter as one of no small moment. Aviation was not a passing sport, but a national necessity. Mr. F. S. Hewer said that the board had laid down the policy of keeping Gear Island an open space, and had rightly decided not to commercialise it. The Aero Club wanted forty acres now, but if it went ahead that would not be enough, and there would bo no room for other srjrts. He did not think they should allow the aero' and golf clubs to get control of the island.

Mr. Strand's motion that consideration of tenders bo held over for a fortnight was carried.