Jet Airport Equipment Promised By Candidate

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30294, 21 November 1963, Page 17

Jet Airport Equipment Promised By Candidate

If the people of the Avon electorate put him Into Parliament, he would see to It that Christchurch International Airport got any equipment found necessary to make it suitable for commercial jet aircraft services, said Mr S. Dodwell, National candidate for the seat, last evening. “Put me in and I will see to it,” he said. Mr Dodwell was answering questions in a campaign address in St. Chad's meeting room. Carnarvon street. Twenty-four persons . attended. Mr Dodwell had been asked by a member of the audience why it was that Christchurch had been deliberately side-tracked in its development. “I believe that people with jets want to come in.” said Mr Dodwell. "Yet, on the other hand, we have been told by those in charge of these affairs that they have not had any application. “Something must have happened about it.” Mr Dodwell said he quite agreed with his questioner that Christchurch airport seemed to be pegged back in a North Island versus South Island complex. He also agreed that Auckland and Wellington airports were be-

ing developed before Christchurch. "I don’t think I have seen a better-situated airport than Christchurch.” said Mr Dodwell. “I have been around Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. I don't think anyone coming into Christchurch airport on top in any type of weather has anything to worry about." Mr Dodwell said the public was told about “monster 707’s” taking a “whale” of a runway to get off. or, on. The aircraft had been coming in but not on a full load. “But darn it, if your car holds 10 people, you don’t always have to have 10 people in it,” he said. “There are economical ways of running them. People are quite prepared to run Viscounts, with 60 per cent loading.” Referring to the New Zealand Police Force, Mr Dodwell said he felt that this was a subject that had been “missed out.” It was now possible, he said, for police to stop a car in Auckland and to find out all the details about it from Wellington within five minutes, while the car was being held. This was due to tele-com-munications. one of the latest police improvements introduced by a National Government. ■ A new police station for Christchurch was in the planning stage. Good housing for the police force, he said, was necessary. “Keep them comfortable while they’re off duty and they will do a good job while they’re on duty,” he said.