DEVELOPMENT OF HAREWOOD

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25932, 12 October 1949, Page 4

DEVELOPMENT OF HAREWOOD

MINISTER EXPLAINS PROGRAMME WILL PROCEED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. October 11. “The whole work at Harewood, first to internal trunk route standards and then to class C international requirements, will proceed just as quickly as plans and specifications can be prepared and to the extent that contractors are available.” the Minister in charge of the Air Department (Mr F. Jones) said to-day. “No delay in the actual work need occur while negotiations are being conducted with the Christchurch City Council in regard to the land tenure and the respective contributions towards the development of the aerodrome.” Surveys had been finished and plans of the runway extensions were sufficiently advanced to allow construction work to be put in hand in the next fortnight on the 1000 ft extension of the north-east to south-west runway at Harewood, said Mr Jones As all departmental machines and equipment in Canterbury were fully employed on other work, such as housing and hydro-electric projects, inquiries were being made for contractors’ plant. Contract documents were now being prepared, also for the shaping, metalling, grading, and consolidating, all of which were preliminary to the bituminous surfacing, Mr Jones said. Preparation for Sealing If satisfactory tenders were received, ag was hoped, the preparation for the sealing would be started soon and completed this summer. In accordance with sound engineering practice, the new metalling would be allowed to weather and consolidate through the winter and the final bituminous paving applied as soon afterwards as the weather was suitable. Mr Jones said that as soon as the earthworks on the north-cast to southwest runway were completed operations would begin on the north-west to south-east runway, the apron and the taxi-way which would be ready for paving after the winter. This first stage of the development would bring the aerodrome to full class E 4 standards, with fully paved runways, Mr Jones said. The development to class C dimensions for international services would follow as the final stage of construction. WELLINGTON AIR BASE EVANS BAY AND RONGOTAI GOVERNMENT AND HARBOUR BOARD AGREE (New Zealand Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 11. Negotiations between the Government and the Wellington Harbour Board on the proposed air base at Evans Bay and Rongotai were virtually completed and required only formal ratification by the Government, said the Minister in charge of the Air Department (Mr F. Jones) to-day. Mr Jones said he hoped facilities would be provided at Evans Bay by the end of March, when it would bo determined what services, if any, would be operated from there “Quite apart from the establishment of the seaplane base the location of the main runway at Rongotai slightly above sea level raised the problem of a potential conflict between shipping and aircraft in Evans Bay." said the Minister. “The co-operation of the Wellington Harbour Board in the matter has enabled a satisfactory solution to be reached, both services to operate in safety and with minimum interference with each other. “Proposals for approach lighting and plans for landing jetties and mooring pontoons required to establish Evans Bav as an additional alighting place to Mechanics Bay in Auckland are now well in hand, and it is expected adequate facilities will be available in the near future for the new Tasman Solent flying-boats to operate from Evans Bay. “As far as Rongotai*’ is concerned the beginning of the work is largely dependent oh securing the co-opera-tion of the Wellington Harbour Board. The board has agreed to give up its right of reclamation to the area of seabed lying between the present foreshore and the proposed causeway starting from Wellington road and paralleling on the sea side the proposed reclamation for aerodrome extensions. The Government recognises that in making a number of facilities available the board has prejudiced the proposals it had itself for future development. and the concessions represent a very considerable contribution in actual cost toward the construction of the Rongotai aerodrome.” Negotiations were now in hand with the Wellington City Council, whose interests were perhaps involved even to a greater extent than those of the Harbour Board.