AIR DEFENCES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21256, 30 August 1934, Page 8

AIR DEFENCES

♦ NEW MACHINES TO ARRIVE SOON ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL REQUIRED A BUILDING PROGRAMME [From Qui- Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 29. Some of the new general purpose aircraft for the defence department will shortly be arriving in New Zealand, and it is expected that antiaircraft guns and equipment, an order for which the War Office has placed with the Leyland Company will be delivered about the end of the year, stated the Minister for Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in an interview to-night. The Minister explained that the measures authorised for the strengthening of the Dominion's defences by providing anti-aircraft batteries, additional coast defence guns, and bomber aircraft, involved a proportionate increase in the personnel of the Royal New Zealand Artillery and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. To house the new personnel and valuable equipment shortly expected to come to hand, several buildings were required at the air bases at Hobsonville, near Auckland, at Wigram, Christchurch, and at the artillery stations at Narrow Neck, Auckland, and Fort Dorset, Wellington. "The building programme laid down," Mr Cobbe said, "provides for the erection at Hobsonville and Wigram of landplane hangars, single men's barracks, residences for married personnel, both officers and other ranks, and certain other buildings, while at Narrow Neck and Fort Dorset quarters for single men have likewise to be provided, together with married quarters for officers and other ranks, gun parks, and stores buildings. "The Public Works Department has been instructed to draw up the required plans and specifications for these buildings. A commencement has already been made at Hobsonville with the enlargement of the stores building there, and the erection of a wireless telegraphic, photographic, and medical buildings. Tenders have also recently been called for three officers' quarters there. It is expected that plans and specifications for certain of the other buildings will shortly be sufficiently advanced to allow of tenders being called. The letting of contracts for the erection of these buildings, the cost of which in some instances will run into a considerable sum, will provide work for a large number of tradesmen and others at the centres named."