AIR BASE WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 8

AIR BASE WORK.

HOBSONVILLE SCHEME LARGER LANDING GROUND. LORD HAKTINGTON'S VISIT. Tho development of the Hobsonville Air Base was inspected this morning by tho Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, accompanied by Lord Hartington, permanent Under-Secretary to the British Secretary for the Dominions. Mr. Jones, commenting on the progress of tho work at the base, said it was intended to increase the landing fields by approximately 50 per cent, and land for the purpose would be acquired on the western Hide of the existing highway. He pointed out that the work of levelling tho present fields was rapidly progressing, and said he was assured by officers at the base that the men engaged were doing excellent work. Awaiting Reports. Referring to the ground near the water's edge, where the bluff had been cut away and the ground levelled in preparation for the building of any further seaplane hangars that might be required, Mr. Jones said that any further development of Hobsonville as a seaplane base would be determined by the reports to be presented to the Government by visiting experts. _ . Hobsonville had been intended originally as a seaplane base only. With its conversion to its larger purpose, many changes had become necessary. The increase in the size of the landing fields woultl give the accommodation that was necessary for high-powered land machines. Of course, there would always be the necessity for some seaplane facility there. For one thing, the seaplanes which were part of the modern battleship's equipment had to be provided for. Modern Equipment. Lord Hartington expressed himself as much impressed with the equipment and control of the base, and particularly with-fche modern type of automatic lifting doors at the hangars. These doors, which were a New Zealand development of an Americran idea in hangar construction, were the only ones of their sort used for military or civil purposes in the world. In England and in other countries, sliding doors were used, often operated by manual labour. The Hobsonville doors had the advantage of giving a cleaner and quicker means of exit. The possible military disadvantage of their being put out of operation by the dropping of bombs 011 the front portion of the hangar was not one that need necessarily be weighed heavily as in actual fact the same disadvantage might be expected with any type of door. A brief inspection was also made of the work at Kauri Point where facilities for naval dumps and stores were being created. This work was now well under way. The concreting of the dumps and placements was largely completed, and it remained now for the wharf to be finished, approaches made and storehouses erected. This afternoon Mr. Jones and Lord Ilartington visited the Devoilport Naval Base. Before leaving for Australia by the Awatea, where lie will spend a period of two months, Lord Ilartington said that 110 had been very impressed with the attractions of New Zealand and with the hospitality of the people. He was sorry that his stay had been such a short one.