NORTHERN VIEW OF HAREWOOD CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28604, 5 June 1958, Page 4

NORTHERN VIEW OF HAREWOOD CAMPAIGN

Civil aviation authorities in Wellington do not believe the Christchurch campaign to make Harewood New Zealand’s No. 1 airport will progress very far, the Wellington correspondent of an Auckland newspaper reports in a front-page article under the heading “Harewood’s Backers Hit T.EA.L. monopoly.” The correspondent says that Christchurch is “campaigning vigorously” to break Tasman Empire Airways’ monopoly on the Tasman routes and is backing landing rights at Harewood for Pan American. Canadian Pacific and the French T.A.I. airlines.

The correspondent says the prime reason for the authorities believing the campaign will not get very far is that “it is not in the airline’s interests to fly to Christchurch rather than to Auckland.

“Nevertheless, it is possible that Mr Mathison’s symapthy may be engaged,” the correspondent adds, referring to the deputation which met the Minister of Civil Aviation in Christchurch on Friday.

The report continues: “The Christchurch campaign is notable, too, for the vigour with which it is being pressed and the unity of the various bodies behind it It is in sharp contrast with Auckland local bodies’ efforts towards building Mangere. And the Government is well aware that Hare wood is a

product largely of local body enterprise and money. “Startling’* Inducements

“Christchurch is offering quite startling inducements to overseas airlines to operate from Harewood. First comes its effort to persuade the Government to break the Tasman monopoly.

“Other points m?de by the City Council airport committee chairman (Mr A. R. Guthrey): Christchurch is the only airport capable of taking pure jets; Canadian Pacific Airlines is prepared to make Christchurch its point of entry provided it is allowed to depart from Auckland; the French airline T.A.I. will also fly to Christchurch if given even restricted rights across the Tasman; Pan American wants to run on the Tasman route and in exchange would be prepared to finance a large hotel in Christchurch and also provide the latest navigational aids for Harewood. “Mr Guthrey believes every effort should be made to develop Tasman Airways as a distinct entity serving the Pacific area. It should not be allowed to become just a feeder service for the jet aircraft which might well by-pass New Zealand, he says,” the correspondent writes.