AERIAL DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 52, 30 August 1934, Page 14

AERIAL DEFENCE

AIRCRAFT DUE SOON

IMPROVING ACCOMMODATION

It is expected that some of tho now general-purposo aircraft for the Defence Department; will shortly be arriving in tho Dominion, and it is expected that the anti-aircraft guns and equipment, an order for which tho War Office has placed with the Leyland Company, will be delivered about the end of the year.

In making this announcement yesterday, the Minister of Defence, tho Hon. J. G. Cobbo, explained that the measures authorised for tho strengthening of the Dominion's defences by providing antiaircraft batteries, additional coast defence guns, and bomber aircraft, involved a proportionate increase in the personnel of the Eoyal New Zealand Artillery and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. To house the new personnel and the valuable equipment shortly expected to come to hand, a number of buildings were required at the air bases at Hobsonvillo, near Auckland, and AVigram, Chriatchurch, and at the artillery stations, Narrow Neck, Auckland, and Fort Dorset, Wellington. "The building programme laid down," Mr. Cobbo said, "provides for the erection at Hobsonville and Wigram of land aeroplano hangars, single men's barracks, residences of a number of married personnel, both officers and other ranks, and certain other buildings,' while at Narrow Neck" and Port Dorset, quarters for single men have likewise to be provided, together with married quarters for officers and other ranks, gun parks, and stores buildings. Tho Public Works Department has been entrusted with the work of drawing up the required plans and specifications for these buildings. "A commencement has already been made at Hobsonvillo with an enlargement of the stores building there, and tho erection of wireless, telegraphic, photographic, and medical buildings. Tenders havo also recently been called for three officers' quarters there. It is expected that the plans and specifications for certain of the other buildings will. shortly bo sufficiently advanced to allow of tenders being called for the work required to be done. Tho lotting of contracts for the erection of these buildings, the cost of which, in some instances, will run into a considerable sum, will provide work for a large number of tradesmen and others at the centres named."