AIR SERVICE TO CHATHAMS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27444, 2 September 1954, Page 12

AIR SERVICE TO CHATHAMS

HOUSE DISCUSSES PETITION

NEED SEEN FOR LANDING

STRIP fFroas Oar PsrHamentary Reporter J WZLUNGTON. September 1. The Government was anxious to do all It could to maintain contact with the Chatham Islands, said the Minister in charge at Civil Aviation (Mr T. L. Macdonald) in the House of Representatives today. He thought the best service could be arranged if an airstrip was constructed on the islands, A discussion on the air service to tile islands began after a committee had reported on a petition urging the continuation of the service which was discontinued when Tasman Empire Airways adopted landplanes for its routes. The committee recommended the petition to the Government for favourable consideration. Mr H-’B. Lake (Government, Lyttelton) said tiie Civil Aviation Administration had been most co-opertaive. It had arranged for a Solent flying-boat tp make quarterly trips to the islands. What was needed was an airstrip at least 5000 ft long to take a Bristol Freighter plane. The Chatham Islanders had become very ainninded. and he assured the Government that any service would receive good support, said Mr Lake. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash), after referring to the productive

capacity of the Chatham Islands, suggested that a Catalina flying-boat service should be arranged. If an airstrip was constructed, it could cater for a service from Harewood to the Chathams, said Mr J. K. McAlpine (Government, Selwyn). The airstrip could also be used by planes for aerial topdressing, which would greatly increase the productivity of toe inland* An air servidfe was valuable in maintaining the health of the islanders, Mid Mitt M. B. Howard (Opposition, Sydenham). Until recently, the North Canterbury Hospital Board had had great difficulty in staffing the cottage hospital on the islands. A Solent service could not be operated just for the Chatham Islands, Mr Macdbnald said. At present the best that could be hoped for was a quarterly service by a plane used on the Pacific Islands run. That, of course, did not recompense the Chatham Islanders for the flights they had available previously. If an airstrip was built, the islands would be within reasonable range of DC-3 and Bristol aircraft, and he had no doubt that with chartered flights, and a service when it was most needed, the islanders’ needs could be met, the Minister said.

There was a proposal to build abattoirs on the islands, said Mr C. L. Carr (Opposition, Timaru), and that could mean that meat could be brought to the mainland without the need for bringing over toe stock, which

lost condition on the way. Il an airstrip was built at a reasonable cost, and there was an air service to carry passengers and first-class mails, it would be of tremendous value. Mid Mr T. P. Shand (Government Marlborough). “But we don’t want to rush into this and kill the shipping aerviea at which the islands funda—toar lag istl.’* ha added.