AVIATION IN HAMILTON

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 784, 3 October 1929, Page 18

AVIATION IN HAMILTON

SEARCH FOR LANDING GROUND DOMAIN BOARD’S MOVE From Our Own Correspondent HAMILTON, Wednesday. Lack of suitable landing grounds has been the chief factor in dampening enthusiasm for civil aviation in Hamilton. Some time ago. an effort was made by Major Cowper to form ap air club here. There was quite a good rally at the initial meeting, but few were prepared to undertake financial liability. As a result those who thought the time had arrived when Hamilton should develop some air sense formed themselves into a company which acquired two Moths, and ran many passenger flights last summer. While there are several open spaces in the vicinity of the town, notably the Claudelands Showgrounds, it would be impossible to allocate them permanently for landing areas. However, there is a block of 56 acres on the western side of the Hamilton Lake acquired a few years ago under the Public ■Works Act by the Domain Board, which would be ideal for the purpose. At a. meeting last night, the board set up a committee to consider the question of allocating it as landing grounds. Considerable disappointment has been expressed locally at the failure of the organisers of the North Island aerial tour to include Hamilton in the itinerary. It is felt that even although definite landing grounds are not available, arrangements could have been made with local farmers Living adjacent to the town who would have been prepared to throw open their paddocks for the use of the visiting flyers.