AERODROME SURVEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 59, 7 September 1938, Page 6

AERODROME SURVEY

GOVERNMENT ACTIVE;

LARGE SUM ON ESTIMATES

Had the Government a set plan for the construction of aerodromes in the Dominion? asked Mr. W. P. Endean (National, Parnell) • during consideration of ,the y vote for Maintenance of Public^ Works and Services in the House of i Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr. Endean said that he did not want anything divulged t that should be made public,, but he was interested to know if the Royal New Zealand Air Force aerodrome survey, including construction of flying fields, for which £70,000 was provided on. tha Estimates, had brought to light a plan that would ensure an aerodrome system fully adequate /~fco military needs within a few years. The Minister of Public Works (the .Hon. R. Semple) said he could assure Mr. Endean that the closest, most scientific, and' most methodical investigation of the position had been made. Mr. Endean also asked for informajtion regarding an item of £52,500; for radio facilities for aerodromes and air routes. . An expert had been sent abroad and had returned to New Zealand with all the best ideas available, \ replied the Minister. Those ideas were .being put into operation. , . Mr. Endean: I. take it that the Government is taking the necessary action to bring us into line with other countries. : 4. ■;■..-. ; The Minister: It is no use v doing anything else. - -. On the question of the aerodrome survey the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) asked if two types of aerodrome, one military and the other civil, were being evolved, and if so, was it necessary. v In the Manawatu district, for example, there were already aerodromes at Milsom and .Feilding, and a military aerodrome was now being constructed near Bulls. : ". ■<■.■■■. . ....,■;.■; ' ■■'.. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) said Wigram aerodrome, for instance, was a training school, and 4 training school and civil flying could not be carried on on the,same ground. Qhristchurch was building a civil aero? drome quite apart from Wigram. Mr, Semple said that it was contrary to the practice overseas to have military and civil flying activities from the same ground. Civil aircraft could not use military aerodromes. They were separate everywhere abroad.? ■■,';-

Mr. J. Hargest (National, Awarua) asked Mr. Semple if. he had considered the advisability' of constructing smaller aerodrpmes than the two big fields

under construction. Smaller scattered aerodromes would hot be so liable to damage in the event of a massed attack. 'He also inquired if anything was being done to have petrol stores hidden from the air and protected against i -attack. -Around Wellington the petrol supplies as now stored would constitute a terrible danger if there was a serious The Minister said that up to a point small scattered aerodromes were aa advantage, but it was absolutely necessary to have one or two large aerodromes'to enable the largest bombers to get away with a full load or bombs and sufficient fuel for a flight of one thousand miles out and a thousand back. In addition to the large aerodromes required for that, smaller aerodromes, could be built.

A tribute to the work being dx»e for. air transport was paid by Mr. S. ,G. Smith (National, New Plymouth), who said the work done in recent years was a tribute to both the men and the machines employed. It was work f that might be of the greatest value: in the future because the present -unsettled state of the world might lead-to anything. - ,' , :.■. ■};■• ;

The Chairman, of committeesjr(Mr. E. J. Howard) commented that very little progress was being made with the Estimates, and Mr. Smith retorted that he thought the House could allow him sufficient time to tell the Minister that he was doing excellent worki •>