Effort To Get Approval For Paraparaumu Work

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31061, 17 May 1966, Page 3

Effort To Get Approval For Paraparaumu Work

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 16. The most determined effort yet to get the Government to give approval for the development of Paraparaumu Airport was made today in the conference hall of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

Expressing anger at continued Government delay in announcing a decision on Paraparaumu, the Wellington Chamber invited all M.P.s from the greater Wellington area to attend a luncheon so that the chamber could place before them “incontrovertible” evidence of the urgent need for immediate action to develop the airport.

It is thought to be the first time in Wellington that M.P.S from opposing parties have been rallied by a local organisation and urged to unite in fighting for a particular cause. M.P.s present included the Deputy Prime Minister and M.P. for Karori (Mr Marshall) and the former Leader of the Opposition, Mr Nordmeyer, M.P. for Island Bay. The luncheon was attended by representatives of 12 businessmen’s organisations which have supported the chamber’s campaign for the upgrading of Paraparaumu. Today’s meeting was “vital to the future of the Wellington area,” the president of the chamber (Mr R. C. Macdonald) said in his opening address. Referring to the presence of the M.P.s, he said: “I would hasten to assure them that this concerted effort on their part may well have repercussions well beyond the confines of this chamber. Auckland Unity “Those of us who travel to the Auckland area, or who in any way concern ourselves with goings-on in that part of the country cannot have

failed to be impressed by the way in which Aucklanders—whatever their private views and affiliations may be—rally around any standard which has anything to do with the advancement of Auckland.

“One could go further and say that Aucklanders have no hesitation in calling upon their members of Parliament who—it would seem—with great verve and willingness, put their shoulders into the scrum.” Mr Macdonald said this frequently had the effect of seeming to bring about a collapse of any opposition which might exist in the form of counter-claims by other no less worthy parts of the country.

“All I can say is ‘good luck to them’, but I think we must all agree that where the advancement of the greater Wellington area is concerned, this spirit of drive and energy and working together is singularly absent,” Mr Macdonald said.

“There are probably a number of reasons for this state of mind. “Perhaps the fact that we have the Government in our midst inhibits thinking on the part of some, and perhaps, too, it is because we have so many head offices and so many people who are here for the space of a few years before being sent elsewhere.

“Maybe these factors rob us of that inner spirit which gets things done. Mr Macdonald said that Wellington’s position made it the fulcrum on which all internal air movements in this country depended. Its traffic was already well ahead of earlier forecasts, and traffic growth in this region had been far greater than in any other airport in the country. A passenger figure of 720,000 was indicated by Wellington Airport records for the year ended March 31, 1965, involved no fewer than 44,000 airline passenger and freight movements, and there could be no doubt that in the near future these figures would be exceeded, Mr Macdonald said. “You will note that this represents a figure greater than the figures for all civil aircraft operations for Auckland. Christchurch, Dunedin and Palmerston North combined.” he said.

If trans-Tasman passenger traffic was diverted because of tlfe introduction of jets, from Wellington to Christchurch and Auckland it would cost the country additional transport costs of £750,000 a year, Colonel H. J. G. Low told the meeting. Colonel Low, convener of the Chamber of Commerce’s airport committee, said this would be a handy sum for financing capital development of Paraparaumu. Definition Given He said Wellington airport was a combination of Rongotai and Paraparaumu. This definition had been accepted by every civil aviation authority which had investigated the subject. Redevelopment of Paraparaumu would afford the most economical and speedy alleviation of an already serious stricture of the operations of Wellington Airport. He said the necessity for the development of the Wellington Airport complex had been accepted by the Government, which had approved in principle reconstruction of Paraparaumu. But executive action had been conspicuously absent.

Colonel Low said Rongotai’s inadequacy could be judged from the fact that even with inclusion of Miramar golf course it would have only 285 acres, compared with Mangere’s 1500 acres and Christchurch Airport’s 1200 acres. Land Bought Mr Marshall said redevelopment had been approved in principle and practically all the land had been bought for a new airport. “It’s not a question of if it will go ahead, but when it will go ahead,” Mr Marshall said. The financing and priority of the work had not yet been resolved, he said. Government policy was that it should con-

tribute 50 per cent toward the cost and local bodies in the area the other 50 per cent. “We have had good co-oper-ation from the Wellington City Council,” he said. “But some other local bodies have not been prepared to contribute," / The former Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nordmeyer) ; said the main argument for an airport at Paraparaumu was that Rongotai Airport was not suitable for some aircraft. The other question was whether Paraparaumu should be developed as an alternative airport for Wellington or if it should provide for overseas aircraft. If local bodies were required to finance half the cost it seemed proper that all who benefited from the airport ’ should share the cost. “It seems unfair that rate- ! payers of Wellington should . pay for something serving > more people. The burden should not fall on Wellington I alone,” he said. Not Supported The Labour member for Miramar (Mr W. A. Fox) 1 said he did not support local bodies paying half the cost. ; “It didn’t happen at Man- ; gere,” he said. The Government had assisted Aucklanders with Mangere Airport, and Wellington, being the capital, should also be assisted. The National member for Wellington Central, Mr D. J. Riddiford, said the loss of overseas travellers to Auckland and Christchurch emphasised the need to develop Paraparaumu. He suggested that local bodies were viewing the redevelopment in a narrowminded way when refusing to contribute toward it. The Labour member for Porirua, Mr H. L. May, said local bodies had their own financial responsibilities. “I will ensure that the people I represent are not unduly over-loaded with the cost,” Mr May said. “We have to gauge whether it’s the responsibility bf the Government or the area.” The Labour member for Petone, Mr M. Moohan, said an agreement was needed . among local bodies, and the first step should be to esti- ■ mate the cost of the pro- ■ ject. Colonel LoW'Said the cost • was estimated'at £3.250,000. If the Government approved the airport, a start could be made within six months Colonel Low said.