WAIROA'S AERODROME

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20012, 10 August 1939, Page 15

WAIROA'S AERODROME

PURCHASE OF LAND , LOAN TO P.H RAISED HARBOUR BOARD PROPOSAL (Special to Ihe Herald.) WAIROA, this day. A decision that the council sup port the Wairoa Harbour Board'. proposal to promote legislation ! obtain authority to raise a loan oi .U10,(JUl) to purchase an area of land required for an aerodrome at Wal roa without taking a poll of ratepayers, was reached at the mcnt.'i meeting of the Wairoa County Coin. cil yesterday. A deputation from the Harbou Board comprising the chairman, M: J Corkill. and the secretary, Mr. X Taylor, waited on the board with request that the council support th board's proposal to raise a loan without taking a poll. The request was granted and the council decided that the board be asked to give an assurance that no portion of the loan proposed to be raised would be used for buildings and improvements on the aerodrome without an agreement on the point being arrived at by the other local bodies concerned. Mr. Corkill stated that the land had been surveyed by the Government, plans compiled and the site had been pegged out. The next step to be taken was to obtain authority to borrow the money and purchase the land. The reason for raising the money without first taking a poll was to eliminate the expense which the talcing of a poll would involve. The site for the aerodrome comprised about 200 acres and would cost approximately in the vicinity of £SOOO to £6OOO. A .National Blatter. The opinion that the establishment of an aerodrome in Wairoa was not a local affair, but a national one, was voiced by Cr. J. O'Grady, who opposed the proposition. lie did not think the ratepayers would mortgage their land to the tunc of £6OOO, or probably £IO,OOO. There was an aerodrome at Mohaka which would serve the purpose. It was a waste of money to go to the expense of establishing one in Wairoa. The secretary of the Harbour Board stated that the district would not be levied any more than at present. Mr. Corkill said that the landing ground at Mohaka was only an emergency one and would be inconvenient as far as Wairoa was concerned. "Providing it does not cost too much, I am in favour of the establishment of an aerodrome in Wairoa," said Cr. D. V. Thomas. "It still looks to me to be a wade of public money," Cr. O'Grady contended. "We have an aerodrome at Mohaka." It was moved by Cr. Thomas and seconded by Cr. S. A. Dickie that the request be approved subject to the conditions quoted above. "I warn you gentlemen that if yen carry this motion you are mortgaging the Wairoa County lo the tune of £10,000," said Cr. O'Grady. "We 'nave enough burdens now to carry." The motion was carried, Cr. O'Grady recording his vote against it.