Aviation Firm To Close

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31982, 8 May 1969, Page 1

Aviation Firm To Close

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 7. Hawker Siddeley International, Ltd, will close its aviation facilities at Wellington Airport be* cause it is not economically possible for it to service jet or turbine : engines. ! Terrific recent changes had i made aviation a very expen-. • sive business, the firm’s ’ manager (Mr J. Lorentz) said [ today. The firm does technical

repairs on topdressing aircraft and' Air Force Devons, as well as keeping spare parts. It has been established at Rongotai for more than 30 years. The parent company is the British Aircraft Corporation, based in London. ' Mr Lorentz did not know ‘ the date the firm would close, but said the matter had been investigated for some time and the decision had not been taken hastily. ■ Negotiations could be made with a New Zealand firm to i continue, in partnership, as there were ample, facilities to . go on with. , The staff of about 40 might join other companies, and if they wanted to go to AusI tralia and had the qualifica- «

tions, negotiations could be made with similar plants there, Mr Lorentz said. “Hawker Siddeley International have given notice to relinquish occupancy of the council hangar with effect from June 1,” the chairman of the Wellington Airport Committee (Cr S. H. J. Duff) said today. He hoped there would be negotiations on re-leasing the hangar with a firm associated with the aviation industry, and already several parties were interested. Because the hangar was owned by a local body, tenders for a new lease would have to be called, Cr Duff said.