R.N.Z.A.F. STATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 4, 4 July 1940, Page 13

R.N.Z.A.F. STATION

EXHIBITION BUILDINGS

STORE AND TRAINING

SCHOOL

MODERN BARRACKS

The Centennial Exhibition buildings «t Rongotai, until recently, the Dominion's principal holiday attraction, 'will henceforth be known as "Royal .New Zealand Air Force Station, Rongo~iai, Technical Training Centre, and No. 2 Stores Depot." During recent weeks .more been invaded by an army of car- ' penters, plumbers, and electricians, all busy altering the interior of the buildings to suit Air Force requirements and to provide modern barrack accommodation for the 800 officers and other ranks who will live and work or train there.

From the outside the main buildings still look very much the same, but inside little sign of the Exhibitiqa remains. Already some of the main courts are occupied by the Air Force, and they will move into the remaining blocks as soon, as the workmen have completed their task. The plans as r they exist at present involve use of the space previously occupied by the General Exhibits, Engineering, Transportation, and part of the Women's Courts, the-tower block, and the administration block near the Kingsford Smith Street entrance.

The General Exhibits Court has been divided in half. One half is already occupied by the No. 2 Stores Depot, - which, when fully stocked, will be the largest Air Force stores depot in New "Zealand. Steel shelving and racks, specially constructed cupboards, and " rooms for various classes of stores have '■- been erected and are already partly filled with a large and astonishingly varied array of goods, from machine tools and all kinds of aero engine and 7 aeroplane parts to comprehensive ■ stocks of aerial cameras with relative photographic equipment. A row of Offices for the stores depot staff has "been erected along the southern wall ''""■"of the court. The remaining half of ' this court has been placed at the dis- "' posal of the de Havilland Company as °. ' an aircraft store. .-■ OFFICERS' QUARTERS. 'rv'.-.'Barrack quarters for commissioned " '"officers occupy the tower block. What "■'was-formerly the board room has become the officers' mess, and is already *"■* completed and furnished. The adjacent ' z'-'■ reception room is now the ante-room '5y tci. the mess. Officers' bedrooms, baths- "grooms, and other conveniences will be -'^'contained in a new adjoining block to ~, be erected behind the tower block. of the Women's Court is being t? D;divided "up to form "quiet" rooms for *".. .Trading and writing and recreational ~L^quarters for n.c.o.s. Sleeping accommodation for the men ~^~.%nH be situated in what was the En- , rc gineering Court, which is being subto form large dormitories each *""' containing 42 beds. At the end of each dormitory will be two n.c.o.s' rooms. Ablution blocks, hot and cold showers, conveniences for the men will be ;:,', ;^qdntained in a new building now-being , CQ^er.ected near -the-. ; ;Engineering- Court ri , on. : part of the Playland area: ■ _,[ ,^l The restaurant will become the men's -^.^m'esa, and the ground floor, previously j' a ' t ,the cafeteria, is to be. comfortably »- fitted out as a men's recreational room t~__with facilities for reading and writing! t,-,JPortion of this space has been set' oh- aside for the V.M.C.A. and will probably contain a "dry" canteen. All r^rvßveals will be prepared in the existing kitchens, whiah have been altered t ; ~,and fitted with additional cooking and - .other facilities for the purpose. :;i TECHNICAL SCHOOL. __ The technical school for ground train- •■^"' ijjig * will occupy the whole of the *2~ r^Transportation Court. It is being suit*'r<~'ably subdivided and .fitted with all ■" necessary facilities and equipment for '•''." trainees and instructional staff. An "-'.! 'Mr Force fire brigade unit, equipped './with modern fire, fighting apparatus, ;', has taken. over the former Exhibition station. ' . . ',:._ headquarters has been established in the former administration "'■' block "near the Kingsford Smith Street "entrance. Here th/ Officer Command- - ' ing the station, Squadron.Leader T. W. "'*■ White, E.D., and his staff, have their offices. The first draft of personnel for the new station, in addition to those already working there, is due to ".., arrive next week, but it is not ex- "." 'pected that, the whole of the barrack section will be ready for occupation be- • - fore the end of the month. ;;". '-'. Meanwhile in general external ap- "-■■■ -pearance. the Exhibition buildings still 1 - look very much the same as they have -.-. done during the past nine months. The ..... .-first big change will be noticed soon ..with the disappearance of the tower.

; The contract for dismantling it has -already been let. Most of the pulling

down so far has been confined to Play- ■!-■■ land, where the majority of the build- ■ ings have already been removed.