DAY AND NIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 9

DAY AND NIGHT.

BOAR OF TRACTORS. NEW DEFENCE AERODROME. PKOOBZII AT WHJBJIVAPAI. From before dawn until .dark the rumble of huge Diesel powered tractors In the once peaceful farm lands of Whenuapai, near Hobeonville, tells the story of one of New Zealand's biggest defence undertakings. Working Iβ hours a day in two shifts, men and machines have since early in January been attacking the task of lifting over a million cubic yards of soil in the development of an operational air station that is expected ultimately to be one of the bases for the 30 Vickers Wellington bombers •rdered by the Government. Not for many months will the aerodrome be ready for use. Two massive reinforced concrete hangars, costing probably £180,000 and, equally with those under construction at Ohakea, near Fielding, the largest in Australia or New Zealand, will take possibly two

years to complete. The contract has Just been let to Mr. R. A. Cornieh, builder, of Newmarket, who intends to make a start almost immediately. In addition, part of the 680-acre aerodrome site will hold large, two-storeyed barracks for officers and men, for which tenders have also been called. They will provide ideal accommodation and generous recreational facilities for a permanent force of over 100. Tractors and Bnlldosen. In the meantime steady progress is being made by the contracting firm whose responsibility in the complete formation of the landing field itself. This is the vast job of transforming the broad Whenuapai farmlands into a 'smooth, level area laid out in four runways of approximately 1800 yards in length, planned to permit landings •nd departure* by aircraft according to the direction of the wind.

Trees, cross fences and a number of buildings had first to be removed. Then the land's last link with farming was broken when horse drawn mowers circled it to remove its final crop of hay before modern mechanical devices began their invasion.

No more striking example of to-day'e way of land formation has probably been.seen in Auckland than that which e provided by the scene at Whenuapai. 4ix tractors, four huge scoops and two bulldozers are doing work only an army of men eould have carried out with the type of equipment which seemed up-to-date just a few years ago. Rising ground is being literally pushed out of the way by the force of the machines. Fifty Miles of Drains. The day's work begins there at four o'clock in the morning, and does not end until 9.30 at night. Yet, speeded as it ie by the double shift system and the use of machines, this job alone will take over a year to complete. Fifty miles of drains have to be laid. Hundreds -more men will appear on the scene when the other contractors begin the erection of the hangars and barracks. The imposing size of the former may be envisaged when it is realised that each will be 220 feet wide. 170 feet deep, and approximately 6"> feet high. They will have great arched roofs of reinforced concrete four and a half inches thick. Over 13,000 yards of concrete and 1000 tons of steel will be used in their construction.