Paraparaumu Plan “Extravaganza”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30270, 24 October 1963, Page 14

Paraparaumu Plan “Extravaganza”

An alternative airport for Wellington at Paraparaumu was an “extravaganza,” the Canterbury Progress League declared last evening. On Mr H. E. Radley’s motion the league decided that the time had come for New Zealand to put all its resources into production and not into “extravaganzas engendered by political pressure and departs mental ambitions for the capital city.”

The league expressed its strongest possible disapproval of the Government’s decision, "particularly in view of the fact that Wellington has at Rongotai a very expensive airport costing the taxpayers a very large sum of money." “Before .the matter goes any further.” said the motion, “the Minister should state in a manner clearly under standable to the public: (a) whether two strips crosswise will be required because we are informed that the winds necessitate this; <b) the expected cost to the Government of the technical facilities, and navigational aids together with a full description of all requirements: (c) the expected cost of operating the airport particularly as the revenue from internal services can only be expected to be produced to the extent

of 2 per cent, of utilisation: and (d) what share of thje operational loss will be borne by the local authorities." Mr . Radley, called, the scheme the action of a “wasteful and blundering" civil aviation administration in this country. Mr B. J. Drake said it was a Question of national importance that the Government should not be reckless in expenditure. This was tjqt a case, of one South Island city,complaining because another citv was being given sor-ethine. ’ , Tbe claim that £.350 000 would be saved for those who, would not have to go to Christchurch ,to board overseas aircraft would justify Palmerston North »nd Ashburton demanding similar facilities There were already sounds of ml’Verine from Palmerston North. Mr Drake said the Auckland and Christchurch airports were already pronerlv situated to cover the whole of New Zealand. Anythin” c’se would be an unwarrantable extravagance. The estimated cost o* £l.6m mieht be right, but some might feel that if was only a beginning. Ail the other facilities made the pronosition an expensive and almost ’foolhardy one for the Government’to take on.(Minister’s Announcement On Page 9.) *