The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1948. HOKITIKA AIRPORT

Grey River Argus, 30 January 1948, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1948. HOKITIKA AIRPORT

'pHERE is evidently no little provincial rivalry regarding' the selection of a site for the trans-Tasman air terminal in the South Island., Southland has advanced insistent claims, whilst there is also a vei'y definite movement to locate the terminal at Harewood in Canterbury. The time was when a couple of South Island ports were in direct communication with Australia, and when even liners from still more distant places made Bluff their first port of call in New Zealand. With the growing disproportion of population as between the two islands, the Dominion’s oversea communications, whether by sea, air or marine cable, have gradually been concentrated upon the North Island. It is only natural that, as a corrective of North Island ascendancy, there should be a growing endeavour to have the South Island in direct touch with Australia at least by aviation. An important development within tl e next few months, the opening of a regular freight service between the two islands by air, was yesterday announced by the Chairman of the National Airway Corporation, Sir Leonard Isitt, who mentioned that the charges would need to be pretty stiff, for the business otherwise would entail a loss. He emphasised that air transport is nowhere a substitute for ground transport, and must depend upon a class of freight the speed in the conveyance of which is the factor of greatest importance. That fact has been illustrated in the sending of fruit by •dr from the South to the North Island so that it might take quick advantage of a variable market, whilst another illustration has been the conveyance bv plan- 1 of considerable consignments of whitebait to city markets from the West Coast. On the whole, the air freight available in the Dominion has, however, been below expectations, and it appears that there can only be a gradual increase anticipated as charges are susceptible of reduction and as the public learns the kinds of goods which may be forwarded more economically by air than by rail or by sea. From a West Coast standpoint, the most interesting issue raised on the occasion of Sir Leonard Isitt’s present visit to Invercargill is that regarding the new airfield which is being constructed at Hokitika. That its location renders it a possible future choice for the trans-Tasman terminal in this island is very pointedly indicated by the questioning of the Air Corporation Chairman as to whether it might not have been planned with an eye to its suitability for that purpose. Sir Leonard Isitt, has definitely stated that the actual purpose is to have at Hokitika a trans-Alpine airfield sufficiently large to accommodate the Lodestar planes which will be required to cross the ranges. It is nevertheless conceivable that, being definitely closer to Australia, such an airfield on this coast is quite likely to offer an alternative terminal to any other which might be chosen, and if the choice should be Harewood, then Hokitika would be directly in line with it on the Aus tralian route. Consequently the. wisdom of having at Hokitika an airfield adequate for the accommodation of trans-Tasman air craft is quite obvious, even as a measure to meet the emergencies which are inevitable in Tasman Sea weather vagaries. It may be predicted that geographical con sideration will cause this question of an alternative South Island abterminal on the West Coast to be raised again. The relative proximity of this region to Australia is a thing which is pcr-

manent and unalterable. Hence, it will be an act of wisdom on the part of the responsible authorities if they provide at Hokitika an airfield equal to any exigency, and do so as speedily as will render it available from the commencement of direct flights between Australia and the South Island.