MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21906, 6 October 1936, Page 8

MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

GOVERNMENT OFFER APPROVED

EARLY COMMENCEMENT

OF WORK

ESTIMATED COST TO CITY

£30,000

A decision to commence the construction of a city aerodrome at Harewood as as possipie was made at a special meeting last night of the Christchurch City Council. The works committee was authorised to complete arrangements with the Government on the basis of the offer of a subsidy of £ for £ on the labour cost of formation. According to a statement made by the Mayor (Mr J. W. Beanland), the total cost to the council will be about £ 30,000. The resolution to commence the work as soon as possible, with Government assistance. was carried unanimously.

Estimates of the cost of the work were given to the council by the City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith) and the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department (Mr J. Wood). The estimate supplied by Mr Wood did not include the cost of buildings and equipment, provision of a water supply, the marking of the landing field, and the cost of transport. On the other details the estimate of the City Engineer was £14,110 and that of the department £13,380, but this figure did not include the cost of the land. City’s Share Mr Galbraith stated that the city’s share of the cost of the aerodrome could not at present be estimated, but would certainly include the following;— £ Purchase of land .. 4,780 Half labour cost of formation (based on department’s estimate) .. 6,700 Purchase of seed and fertiliser .. •. 2,270 Materials for fencing .. 100 Temporary buildings .. 200 Purchase of anemometer .. 60 Total .. .. 14,110 Mr Galbraith added that the Government subsidy on the following items was not covered by the department’s letters, and the proportion of the cost to be met by the council was at present indeterminate: — Estimated Total Cost, £ Buildings and equipment .. 10,000 Water supply .. .. 3,000 Marking landing field .. 1,100 Transport . .• .. 500 Total .. .. 14,600 The motion that the work should be commenced as soon as possible, with the aid cf the Government was moved by Cr. A. G. Jamieson, who said that the construction of the aerodrome should already have been in hand." The council had a secret reserve which could be called on if necessary, but he did not anticipate that much help from that fund would be required.

“There is something in the atmosphere here that makes everyone definitely hostile to progress,” said Cr. Jamieson. “We are not going to spend millions on this project. We are going to buy an asset for this city. It will be a great investment. We are lagging behind, but we can at least make some effort to bring ourselves up-to-date. We all have the welfare of the city at heart, but we must realise that it is only by getting together and being unanimous that we can do anything.” The motion was seconded by Cr. J. S. Barnett, who reserved the right to speak. Cr. T. Andrews remarked that there should be no difficulty in obtaining' the necessary money. The council, he thought, was very much lacking in vision. £7OOO Needed This Year The Mayor (Mr J, W. Beanland), explained that the project would cost the council about £30.000. It would not be necessary, however, to find all the money during the present financial year. He thought the council would have to find the purchase price of the ground and perhaps half the cost of forming the land during the current financial year. The cost of constructing buildings would not be included in any expenditure within the next six months. The amount required up to March 31, 1937, would probably be about £7OOO. Keplying to a question, the Mayor said the Government had offered to hire machinery for the work. The Public Works Department had not, however, replied to a question about how much the hire would be. Nor had it been indicated when the machinery would be available. “It must be remembered that this project is going to cost the council £30,000,” said Cr. E. H. Andrews. “We must have buildings with the aerodrome. We have not obtained finality in these estimates. The area of the land at Harewood is 500 acres, but the estimates provide for the levelling of only 165 acres. So you haven’t finished with the project on these figures.” Cr. Andrews added that he thought it would be safer and more economical to ask the Public Works Department to construct the aerodrome. Sub-Committee Proposed After Cr. W. S. Mac Gibbon had supported Cr. Andrews in the view that the department should do the work, Cr. T. Milliken moved an amendment that a sub-committee be set up to deal 'with the whole problem. The functions of this committee, he suggested, would be to complete the purchase of the land; to recommend to the council about the buildings necessary on the ground, to complete negotiations with the Government on the lines of the offer submitted to the council; to submit specifications of the work to be done so that tenders could be called; to make recommendations about the financing of the work. This amendment was seconded by Cr. J. Guthrie, It was opposed, however, by Cr. J. S. Barnett and Cr. G. Manning, who said that further delay would be caused if it was adopted. Cr. M. E. Lyons suggested that the arrangements for the work should be left to the works committee. Cr. Milliken withdrew the amendment, and moved it as a nation after the council had unanimously adopted Cr. Jamieson’s motion. Cr. Lyons moved as an amendment to Cr. Milliken’s motion, however, that the works committee be instructed to arrange at the earliest possible date for the levelling and preparing of the ground to be done, and for a water supply to be installed, the work to he done along the lines of the Government’s offer* The amendment was carried.