AIR TERMINAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 294, 12 December 1935, Page 9

AIR TERMINAL.

LADY'S BAY SITE.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.

SATS OF THE WAS CANOES.

Picturesque Lady's Bay, near St. Helier's, where on its eastern fringe a prospective site has been chosen as the overseas aircraft terminal, is rich in history, for it was in that locality many years ago that a raiding party of the Ngapuhi tribe from the north attempted a landing in their war canoes, and met in spirited combat the natives of the isthmus, "Whanganui." That means big bay, and takes in all that more or less crescent sweep which is now popular St. Helier's Beach. The general native name for the St. Helier's locality is Taurere. Lady's Bay is a local name for the small beach at the foot of the cliffs at the eastern end of St. Helier's, j ■where the main approach is a steep path j from the cliff above to give access to a i Urge rock which is much favoured by i Bathers. It is well known, and a few j years ago came into some prominence i as the place where the body of a leopard which escaped from the Auckland Zoo | Was .cast up. The native name is Wai-1 o-taiki, a place well known in the old Maori records as a landing place for canoes, a place where the kino or eea-eggs were plentiful amongst the rocks. Tentative Proposals. j And so now to where the war canoe I once came with the warriors at the paddie will fly the cloud clippers with their glistening wings and whirring engines. This prospect is probably less than a year away, and already steps j nave been taken to provide the accom-, ®odation which will make the vicinity of Lady's Bay a terminal point to serve Auckland's air needs for a long time to. ; come. !

The tentative proposal? are that the * e " "known Cliff Tioad on the high sea r ont of St. Helier's ehould provide the

means of access. In the vicinity of

Lady's Bay the cliffs are fairly high, but the survey work which has been done shows that it would be possible to make a road with a fairly easy grade to connect with the terminal, one that would not unduly interfere with the configuration of the ehore-line in the vicinity.

It is a rather unfortunate fact that the march of progress In past years has played havoc with the eastern waterfront. Historic Wynyard Pier, once a place of popular promenade, is only a memory, the St. George's Bay of other days has been obliterated, the bold headland of Campell's Point was sadly shorn [ and made to resemble the background | of a brickyard, Judge's Bay was changed I into a tidal lagoon, and Hobson Bay into an intake. Thus there were fears that Lady's Bay might share more or less the fate of some of those other indentations which made the eastern foreshore a place of beauty, but they are fears which should not materialise if "the high road" is taken instead of the creation of a possible way by extending the present waterfront road another quarter-mile or so at the base of the cliffs. Visit by Expert. j The official plans in Auckland for the j terminal cannot be completed until it is fully known what the requirements are, and" now that the proposal has reached a definite stage it is expected that the Pan-American Airways corporation will j send one of their technical experts to Auckland to report. One requirement I will be a radio beacon for the guidance j of the aircraft, and it is possible that J the site will be one of the higher points j in the background of St. Helier's.

The Auckland Harbour Board has expressed a willingness to co-operate in the general scheme to give Auckland an air terminal for overseas flying craft which will meet every modern requirement. For that reason it is tentatively proposed to reclaim about 90 acres of land off the reef at the eastern end of Lady's Bay to provide all necessary landing facilities and the comprehensive shore accommodation which will be necessary for the handling of mails and the requirements of passengers. The first step has been to approach the Government for authority for the work, as a big slice of harbour bed will be necessary to carry out the scheme. I

Logical Choice. The choice of the locality at the eastern end of Lady's Bay for the terminal was a logical one. Here on the long eastern shore-line is the deepest water at a point fairly close to the city, the immediate harbour frontage is not likely to be needed at any time for either chipping or berthage, and between Motutapu and Motuihi Islands there is a long lane free of shipping where the air craft will have plenty of room for either landing or take-off purposes. The agreement which was recently signed in Auckland between Pan-Ameri-can Airways and the New Zealand Government has been forwarded to the headquarters of the corporation in New York. In the meantime the next step is .being awaited with interest. As a matter of fact, completion of the shore terminal is no bar to the service coming into operation at any time. On the broad and sheltered waters of the Waitemata the largest type of flying boat or seaplane could land or take off in safety, and passengers or mails could for the time being be handled by a launch service.