ANTARCTIC DISPLAYS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29010, 26 September 1959, Page 15

ANTARCTIC DISPLAYS

Plans for Wigram And Harewood

The United States authorities organising the Antarctic expedition displays at Wigram and Harewood have no knowledge of what numbers of visitors to expect on Sunday but they are prepared for all contingencies. Arrangements have been made with the Christchurch City Council traffic department and the police to provide men at strategic points to control traffic and crowds. Traffic officers will be on duty at the corners of Springs road and the Main South road, and Springs road and Awatea road, and also at the main entrance to Wigram.

Captain R. J. Johnson, of the VX-6 Marine Corps, who is in tharge of the United States military traffic directors, is to post uniformed United States Navy men at strategic points. Entrance to the display at Wigram will be through the main gates but only the Transport Board buses will be allowed to go out through the main entrance. All other traffic will have to go out by the Waitere road gate. Parking will be allowed at Wigram on the soccer and Rugby football grounds but no charge is to be made for parking, or for entering the displays. Both the Transport Board and the Midland Motors buses will be run to the normal Sunday timetables. They will be augmented if more buses are needed. The Transport Board will supply buses to run between Wigram and Harewood if there is sufficient demand for such a service.

The display in Hangar 7 at Wigram will be opened at 9 a.m. on Sunday and closed at 2 p.m. Parachute jumps are to be made there at 9.30 a.m. Later a skiequipped Neptune will take oft from the field using jet assist (J.A.T.0.) added thrust. Parachute jumps are also to be made at Harewood. The display there will last from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public's activities at both Wigram and Harewood will be restricted to the displays—-living quarters and administration offices will not be open to

Parking Fees Traffic for the display at Harewood would be diverted from the airfield entrance along Dury road, the airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson) said yesterday. ‘‘lt will go into parking lots provided on farmland to the right. There will be three entrances and traffic officers on duty to direct,” he said. A charge of 2s would be made on each vehicle using the parking lots. . Mr Jamieson said that parking on roadsides near the airport would be prohibited. Entry to the airport itself would be restricted to employees, aero club members, airline passengers, persons delivering or collecting passengers and others on legitimate airport business. “Traffic officers will be at the gates to check and we would ask the public for their co-opera-tion,” he said. Mr Jamieson said two aircraft would be open in the static display and others would be parked beyond a viewing area. Visitors were advised of a nosmoking regulation which became effective within 50ft of each plane. Forecasts were for nne weather but if the display had to be cancelled notices would be broadcast in the morning, he said.