N.A.C. Service To Timaru Rumour

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30541, 9 September 1964, Page 18

N.A.C. Service To Timaru Rumour

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, September 8. The Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr McAlpine) tonight denied all knowledge of rumours in South Canterbury that the National Airways Corporation was planning to withdraw its Christchurch-Timaru service.

Sir Basil Arthur (Opp., Timaru) reported during discussions of the Civil Aviation vote in Parliament that these rumours were quite persistent and causing concern to the people of South Canterbury “especially as it could overcome the sealing problem of the Timaru Airport.”

Sir Basil Arthur also asked for an indication of' when the

new air-radio station would be built. He said he believed plans had been drawn up and provision made for this in last year’s estimates, but that they had been held up because the plans had had to be altered. The present air-radio facilities were inadequate, and were housed in a lean-to building on the side of a house 500 yards from the runway. Operators could not get a full view of the runway from this lean-to. Mr McAlpine replied that he had recently discussed alterations . to the Christ-church-Timaru timetable with N.A.C. officials which, they told him, resulted from demand in South Canterbury “1 know no more than that,” he said. The air-radio station would be moved. It had been held up because tenders so far had been too high. They would be recalled.