AIR DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 267, 10 November 1937, Page 12

AIR DEFENCE.

LANDING GROUND QUESTION. NATIONAL PARK AREA. (Py Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The suggestion that the Defence Department should consider using a large area of level ground in the National Fark as an aerodrome was made by Mr. J. C. C'obbe (National,

Oroua) when the vote of £315,000 for the Air Department was being considered in the House of Representatives to-day. There was a large area of land near Chateau Tongariro, said Mr. Cobbe, from which aeroplanes could fly to any part of New Zealand. Mr. J. G. Coatea (National, Kaipara) asked if any of the £35,000 set aside for the purchase and maintenance of machines was to be spent on fast fighting aeroplanes to protect bombers. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage: That is a policy question. Mr. Coates: Oh, no.

Mr. Savage: The Government has got to decide that; not the Minister. The Minister of Defence, Mr. Jonea, said officers had been all over the North Island looking for suitable places for military aerodromes, and he felt sure they would be quite prepared to look over the area referred to by Mr. Cobbe. However, he did not think it would be necessary as the area selected in the Manawatu was a good one. In reply to Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (National," Waitomo) the Minister 6aid that his Department did not subsidise private or municipal aerodromes. The vote was passed.