AIRPORT CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1944, Page 7

AIRPORT CONFERENCE

CITY COUNCIL AGREEMENT

The City Council yesterday afternoon expressed agreement with the recommendation from the Lower Hutt City Council that a conference of delegates in the Wellington metropolitan areaj i.e., up to Waikariae and the tcp of the Rimutakas, should be called to discuss the most suitable location for a major airport to serve the needs of the southern end of the North Island. The council suggested that the conference should be held in February on a date to be mutually agreed upon. The Mayor (Mr. Appleton) said that such a conference would serve a very good purpose and would clear the air. Councillor M. Fraser said that as a result of the present controversy over Rongotai the real issues were being confused by a number of side issues. He suggested that a summary of the Commission's reasons for stating that Rongotai was the only suitable site should be made available to those interested in the controversy and to the public generally. Mr. Appleton said that that would be done when the conference met. The council "did not approve a suggestion for thev formation of an aerodrome on Somes Island, as the island is small, and reclamation is impracticable pwing to the depth of water, of approximately 60 feet, a few yards from the shore.