H.—37.

SECTION lII.—GROUND ORGANIZATION. 1. Meteorological Services. Details of the organization provided for aviation by the Meteorological Office appear in the report of the Director of Meteorological Services. 2. Aerodromes and Landing-grounds. During the past year the construction and maintenance of civil aerodromes was largely confined to the extension and improvement of those civil aerodromes and landing-grounds which might be used by the Air Force for training operations. Although much of the work done was primarily of defence importance, the benefit of all these improvements will be available to civil aviation after the war. An extensive programme of turf improvement was commenced and is in progress on all important aerodromes. The effect of the manuring and seeding work is already noticeable, and will enable flying-fields to stand up to a much greater intensity of traffic than would otherwise have been the case. It will also appreciably reduce maintenance costs. The extension of the existing aerodrome at Harewood, and the levelling and regrassing of the existing flying-fields at Waitaki and Ashburton, were completed. New emergency-landing grounds at Tophouse and Clarence River were completed, and road-deviation work preparatory to the construction of a new ground at Karamea was put in hand. Extensions to the aerodromes at Taieri, Rotorua, Waipapakauri, Haast, and Westport (Carter's Beach) were also commenced during the year. Construction work on the new municipal aerodromes at Invercargill was continued, and a large area of the field is available for use. The design of an emergency-landing ground at Raglan, and the regrading and extension of the aerodrome at Rukuhia (Waikato), are in hand. Construction work should commence at an early date. Work on the proposed aerodrome at Dargaville and Wairoa has been deferred for the duration of the war. At the 31st March, 1941, the number of aerodromes and landing-grounds in New Zealand was as follows :— Aerodromes and landing-grounds— (1) Constructed and usable .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 (2) Usable, extensions proceeding .. .. .. .. 6 (3) Portion usable, construction proceeding . . .. .. 2 (4) Under construction (not usable) .. .. .. .. .... 66 Emergency-landing Grounds— (1) Constructed and in use .. .. . . .. .. 11 (2) Under construction (not usable) .. .. .. . . 1 12 Financial provision was made from the War Expenses Account for £316,658 to cover expenditure on civil aerodromes and ancillary facilities during the year. The amount was allocated as follows : — £ Civil aerodromes (survey, construction, and maintenance) .. .. 178,727 • Aeradio facilities serving civil aerodromes and internal and overseas air routes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51,739 Overseas flying-boat service facilities .. .. .. .. 17,139 Aviation facilities overseas .. .. .. .. .. 69,053 £316,658 3. Radio Services. The installation of additional navigational aids at aeradio stations has proceeded steadily, and during the year direction-finders have been provided at the New Plymouth, Blenheim, Hokitika, Harewood, and Taieri aeradio stations. Action has also been taken to allow for the remote control of transmission from separately-situated receiving-stations at these places. The New Plymouth direction-finding station is now in operation, and, in addition to its use for the internal services, it is utilized for taking bearings on trans-Tasman flying-boats when approaching the New Zealand coast. The aeradio stations, where required, are co-operating in the operations of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Consequent upon the curtailment of commercial air services as a result of the war, the aeradio stations at Gisborne, Greymouth, Tauranga, and Napier have been closed. The aeradio station at Musick Point is now in full operation. This station maintains regular poiut-to-point services with the air terminal at Rose Bay, Sydney, and with flying-boats crossing the Tasman. In addition, point-to-point services are conducted on behalf of Pan-American Airways with Noumea and Canton Island, and with aircraft on the South Pacific section of the company's route between Honolulu and Auckland.

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