CLAIMS OF HAREWOOD AS PACIFIC TERMINAL

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28529, 7 March 1958, Page 6

CLAIMS OF HAREWOOD AS PACIFIC TERMINAL

Advantages of the Christchurch international airport for use by the jet airliners three leading nirf lines propose to introduce to Pacific routes are beingput to the companies, and to the Government. '

Cr. A. R. Guthrey, chairman of the City Council’s airport committee, has already seen that the airlines —British Overseas Airways, Pan American Airways and the French line, ’Transports Aeriens Iptercontinentaux—are told of the Christchurch airport.

Cr. Guthrey said last evening that the Canterbury Progress League had taken up the cause, and it was arranging for a deputation to see the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr Mathison), probably next Friday, to discuss the Christchurch airport’s claim.

While he had been at the conference of the Municipal Association this week, it had been heartening to receive the verbal support of representatives of cities and boroughs throughout the South Island, Cr. Guthrey said. It was probable that he and the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) would represent the council on the deputation to the Minister.

“We have to let the airlines know that the facilities are available in Christchurch for the new jet airliners, and that we will make facilities available for them in the new terminal buildings,” Cr. Guthrey said. “To the Government, through

the Minister, we have to show that wfe have an international airport capable of taking jets, whereas to bring Whenuapai or any other airport up to the stage where it can take jets will cost several million pounds,” he said. Some persons'who had advocated urgency for Auckland airports to meet the jet age had said that Auckland had always been the place for which tourists made, Cr. Guthrey said. , That was so, because the majority of passenger ships had made Auckland their only New Zealand port of call. Passengers had no choice. But there was no reason why a majority of tourists should not come to the South Island. Its scenery was better. It was closer to Wellington, and most overseas travellers wanting to combine business with pleasure wanted to go to Wellington. Many countries had only one international airport, and it would not be strange to overseas travellers to have to take an internal air service to another centre, he said. “There is no reason why we should not divert a big percentage of the tourist traffic from the North Island,” he said.