AUCKLAND'S AIRPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 183, 4 August 1937, Page 6

AUCKLAND'S AIRPORT.

There is no doubt that the statements made by Mr. Wiseman at the recent meeting of the Aero Club about the unsuitability of Point England as an airport are quite incorrect, as pointed out by your correspondent "Tyro in One." The rich, black loam and sandstone are exceedingly porous and the so-called mountain is nearly two miles away. Obviously now that the Aero C7ub is having thousands of pounds of public money spent on its aerodrome and is receiving fees and rental from commercial air lines it would wish this state of affairs to continue. But what of the Point England residents who were told laet year after years of doubt that the area would definitely" be taken for an aerodrome? The property proposed to be taken consists partly of farms and partly of suburban homes and sections. Ever since the project was mooted, and certainly since it was understood that a decision had been reached, building has been retarded and latterly hae been stopped altogether, and expenditure on maintenance and development of the farms has been restricted to a minimum. Expenditure on public works in the district has also been restricted, with the reeult that the roads ere in a very bad state and needed public services are lacking. The whole area is adjacent to the Glen Innes railway station, with a ten-minute run to Auckland, and is a very desirable district for suburban development. When the airport was first mooted eome years ago the residents were very loath to part with their properties, but they have been left in a state of doubt for such a long time that they do not care now whether the area- becomes an airport or not, so long as there is some definite decision. The residents understood that last year's decision was final, •but doubts are raised by the Aero Club, whose opinions, although obviously, not disinterested, nevertheless cannot be overlooked. Can we not have an authoritative pronouncement about this matter? POINT ENGLAND RESIDENT.