AIRPORT AT HAREWOOD

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26216, 13 September 1950, Page 6

AIRPORT AT HAREWOOD

COUNCIL’S SHARE OF COST “INJUSTICE TO PEOPLE OF CANTERBURY” (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 12. “It is an arrant injustice to the people of Canterbury to ask Christchurch in particular to pay for an international airport when Auckland is to be let off scot-free,” said Mr T. H. McCombs (Opposition, Lyttelton) during his speech in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr McCombs said the Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman) had stated that Auckland wouia not have to pay for its international airport, as it was a work of national importance. “I consider that an international airport at Harewood, in Canterbury, is a work of national importance," said Mr McCombs. “Now, Canterbury has to provide a large part of the cost of this international airport.” Mr McCombs said that the airport would be used by people from Wellington who wanted to go direct to Melbourne, and would be of benefit to the whole of the South Island, not just Christchurch. But by an agreement with the Christchurch City Council which, he thought, should not have been made, the council would provide half the cost of the international airport. Christchurch alone would pay, while the whole of the South Island and Wellington would benefit from what was being done.