Weka Pass Power Lines “Danger To Pilots”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30092, 28 March 1963, Page 10

Weka Pass Power Lines “Danger To Pilots”

Power lines and pylons in the Weka Pass are a danger to top-dressing pilots, members of the provincial ex- > ecutive of North Canterbury ' Federated Farmers agreed ■ yesterday. 1 The following remit from the Amuri branch will be r sent to Dominion headquar- ’ ters of Federated Farmers:---“That the New Zealand - Electricity Department be approached to have markers ; placed on power lines in the ■ Weka Pass, and that power . pylons there be made more . conspicuous.” This route was the only . one for topdressing pilots for . North Canterbury and was . a hazard for pilots. If an accident happened there ' could be loss of life and the whole line of power to the 1 North Island could be dis- ■ nupted, said Mr J. C. Den--1 ham, moving the adoption of - the remit on behalf of the - Amuri branch. Pilots had hit ■ power lines with fatal results. Federated Farmers should support the aviation industry in its efforts to have ■power lines and also power poles on the tops of hills conspicuously marked. Mr J. F. N. Twose seconded the motion. Mr A. C. Wright, provincial president, said the question of markers first came before the executive in 1957. Federated Farmers was unsuccessful then in getting the Electricity Department to put markers on , power lines. "We ought to push hard . for this. Too many topdressing pilots are being killed,” he said. The remit was adopted. Tributes to Mr I. Barker,

organiser for New Zealand Federated Farmers, were paid by Mr Wright, who expressed regret at Mr Barker’s early retirement because of ill-health. He said Mr Barker was appointed to the position at the end of 1936 after the resignation of Mr G. Watt, now Commissioner of Crown Lands at Christchurch. At that time his territory was North Canterbury, MidCanterbury and South Canterbury. Now it was North Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury and the West Coast. His first annual report in June, 1938, showed ah enrolment of 669. There was now only a hard core of mon-members in the farming community. On behalf of members, Mr Wright presented Mr Barker with a power-tool kit, and wished him well in his retirement. Mr J. U. McCracken, Mr D. W. Gray, Mr D. H. Butcher, Mr J. F. G. Blakely. Mr M. P. Kay, members of the executive, and Mr A. E. G. Lyttle, the secretary, also expressed appreciation of Mr Barker’s work on behalf of Federated Farmers. Mr Barker acknowledged the gift and the tributes and briefly recalled his early days as organiser. Bledisloe Medal “This award is probably an overdue recognition of the part Professor Flay has paid in furthering agriculture in New Zealand generally not only in Canterbury.” said Mr Wright, referring to the award of the Bledisioe Medal to Professor A. H. Flay, of Lincoln College. A letter of congratulation

is to be sent to Professor Flay from the executive. The following resolution, moved by Mr W. N. Dunlop and seconded by Mr R. E. Hiatt, was adopted and will be sent to the Dominion council meeting in May for discussion; “That the 6.58 p.m. broadcast of the weather forecast be changed to immediately after the 6.9 pun. news broadcast.”