WIGRAM AIR STATION

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24981, 16 September 1946, Page 6

WIGRAM AIR STATION

CONCERN OVER FUTURE EXPRESSED

POSSIBLE TRANSFER OF FLYING SCHOOL

Deep concern at the reported intention to relegate the Wigram air statiop to a secondary place in New Zealand military aviation was expressed on Saturday by ; the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) and'the president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mr-J. R. Dench). Mr Andrews said he had heard there was a move in Wellington to have the Central Flying School transferred from Wigram to one of the R.N.Z.A.F. stations in the North Island.

He said he was confident that the Christchurch City Council would resist strongly any attempt to reduce the status of Wigram, one of the pioneer aviation centres in New Zealand, and if necessary would press for the modernisation of the station and the

construction of all-weather runways. He was told that the present runway of 6000 ft was long enough for any present aircraft but there was ample land available for extensions if required. He commented on a reported statement by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) that £750,000 would be needed to extend Wigram, pointing otit that failure to spend this sum, if it really was necessary for the modernisation of the air station, would mean wasting the £2.000,000 already invested there in buildings and equipment.

The concern of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce was expressed, by Mr Dench, who said that apparently North Island aerodromes had benefited during the war by the laying down of solid runways while the South Island had been neglected. The people of Canterbury, he said, owed a duty to the founder of this famous air station, which had a wonderful record in two wars, to see that it was retained as a flying school.