COMMERCIAL AIRPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 924, 18 March 1930, Page 7

COMMERCIAL AIRPORT

INSPECTION OF POLLEN’S ISLAND CITY COUNCIL’S INQUIRY Pollen’s Island, off the Avondale waterfront, one of the two sites for a commercial airport for Auckland, now being considered by the City Council Works Committee, was inspected yesterday by the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon; the secretary of the Marine Department. Mr. C. G. Godfrey; and a representative of the Auckland Aero Club. Comprising an area of 72 acres, Pollen’s Island became the City Council’s property when Avondale amalgamated with the city. It was formerly held by the old Avondale Road Board because of the shell deposits there. Lying about a quarter of a mile from the nearest point on the mainland. Rosebank Park Domain, the island can be reached dry-shod at low tide. No portion of the island is more than four feet above highwater mark, and it is believed that, by suction-dredging, the level of the island could be built up above the highest tide, thus uniting it with the mainland. SAFE APPROACHES The site has the advantages of safe approaches in any wind, and seaplanes could operate under ideal conditions. The principal difficulty is believed to be to keep the air-base free from water, and borings taken for this purpose have not been encouraging. The Point England recreation re

serve, ■which, came under the control of the City Council with the merging of Tamaki into the city, is the other site, but to make it into a base land in the vicinity will probably have to be acquired. A report on the subject will probably be submitted to the council shortly. _____________