WHICH AERODROME?

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 144, 6 July 1937, Page 11

WHICH AERODROME?

Napier Council Concerned at Board's Reply ANOTHER £5000 WANTED

Comment on the delay by the Napier Airport Board in deciding which aero- ■ drome is to be developed at Napier was made by members of the Napier Horough Council at the meeting last night. Oouncillors pointed out that during the past two years an amount of about £2000 had been drawn from the generai accolint of the council for airport purposest and that there now seemed a prospect, if a decision were inade in favour of the Beacons aerodrome as against the Napier aerodrome that this money would have been wasted and that a further sitm of £5000 would be required almost immediately to erect the necessary buildings on the new site. Mr P. F. Higgins recailed the statements of aerodi'ome enthusiasts in Napier some years ago that if the atuount of land for the aerodrome, less than has subsequently been acquired. were obtained, the field would be one of the best in New Zealand, if not in the world. Interviews with every prominent tiying aiithority who visited Napier had confirmed this view. "Now," he continued, "at this later stage we hear something that does not coincide with that. Such a policy as that is something this council cannot face. The money mvoived in the duplication of this aerodrome is something we cannot consider. DoAt you agree, Mr Mayor P ' ' The Mayor, Mr C. O. Morse: Ver> defiiiiteiy. "If the present aerodrome is unsuitable and if this other ai'ea is a better oue, to shift any of the responsibility for the decision on to the shoulders of this council would not be fair," continued Mr Higgins. The conunent was uiade by Mr II. W. Goodger that the main "argument in favour of the Beacons aerodrome was that it was comparativeiy free froni i'og and that f.oies could land there in weather in which it would be impossible to land at Napier. That the Napier aerodrome would have been largie enough for4 the aviation requircments of the district at the time it was opened was the opinion expressed by Mr E. E. Carrington, who is also a meuiber of the Airport Board. However, iie added, what was good enough a few years ago might now have to be doubled, and the aerodi'ome that had been the best in New Zealand might now be little better than a pocket handkerchief. "We have to advance with the progresa oi aviatiou," he said, "and al though the Napier aerodrome will be all nght for smaller uiachiues the llcaoons and perhaps a larger area may be required lor iargjer niachines.5 Mr E. Wiliiams : Then Weilingf/JU has not a good aerodrome. Mr Carrington: Wellington has not a proper aerodi'ome. Mr Higgins: Now, now. Mr Wiiiiains: 1 think they know ic. Mr Morse: The site wiii be decideu at the next meeting. The next jpove will be the provisiou of suitable hangars and other equipmeut. I have vi sions of probably ±;5uUt> beiug rcquiieu for this purpose, and that will havt to go betore the people to raise a loan, and it is for the ratepayers to say zf they approve of the raisingi ox the ioau. Five thousands pounds wili not be much spread over all the ratepayers in the district. "I claim that the board has done all it could," he continued. "It has mopped up £20t)0 of the ratepayers' mone,> in two years, and the council could not be expeeted to do inore. About £IU5~ was spent on the leveiling of the aerodixmie and for the engineering and other things, and apparently ali that has to go by the board and we shall have to direct our thoughts to the aerodrome on the beach. "^ome weil-considered plan has to be thought out and presented to the right quarters very, very soon," he eoncluded. The discussion then lapsed.