SPEEDING UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1936, Page 5

SPEEDING UP.

FIELD FOR FLYING.

WORK ON MANGERE SCHEME

USE OF TRUCKS AND MOTORS.

The Minister of Public Works, the Eon. R. Semple is "getting tilings done on the Mangere aerodrome job, where runways are being formed to provide landing facilities for the largest of air liners that are likely to visit New Zealand for some years to come. Shortly after assuming office, the Minister visited Mangere and, in addition to telling the men straight from the shoulder what the Government expects from workmen, assured them that they would be provided with modern equipment in order that they achieve the best results from their labours. In particular the Minister indicated that he did not favour the use of the antiquated wheelbarrow to any large extent on such undertakings as the aerodrome development scheme, which entails the removal of large quantities of earth. His promise to see that better equipment for tackling the work would be provided has now been fulfilled, for, while the wheelbarrow has been retained for the shifting of soil short distances and for carrying turf, tip trucks, each of a capacity of a yard and a half, and three petrol-driven niotor3 for drawing them have been sent out to the job within the past fortnight. 1 These trucks and motors move over a light railway from points where hillocks are being levelled to depressions which are being built up to the required IfVel. The result has been an appreciable speeding up of the ■w-ork, and there now seems a good prospect of it beincr completed in the twelve months specified when it was commenced towards the end of last year. There are 200 men engaged at Mangere at the moment, and at several different points they are attacking the task. of preparing runways which, 111 the \ie« of experts, will permit the largest of air liners to land and take ofl in safety.

The gangs vary in size from eight to twenty-five, and each is making excellent headway with its allotted task. ( At one point a gang might be seen busy with shovels and picks, and at another relaying the original turf on a level plane. There are a number of bare patches being' left on the surface, as the (rani's move forward, but these are unavoidable, as it is obviously useless turfing fillings that are likely to subside. Grass, however, will be sown at the completion of the job, by which time the soft ground will have consolidated. It is estimated that to date about half the levelling has been completed, and that the turfing of the area is keeping fairly steady pace with this work. The existing landing ground used by the Auckland Aero Club is being interfered with as little as possible by the workmen, who are forming a runway of 780 yards in length in the direction of the prevailing s.w. wind, and two others to provide for safe landing under other conditions of 740 and 050 yards in length, Each runway will have a width of 100 yards.