PROPOSED AIRPORT

Evening Star, Issue 20316, 26 October 1929, Page 3

PROPOSED AIRPORT

SOUTHERN AREA HOT SUITABLE MR LOUDON'S MOTION WITHDRAWN On the agenda paper for the Harbour Board’s meeting last night the following motion appeared against the name of Mr John Loudon:— “That, in view of the great development of air transport throughout the worldj and the difficulty that has been experienced in acquiring suitable sites adjacent to largo centres of population, the question of reserving the southern endowment area as an air port bo considered, and d;hat a sub-committee con sisting of the chairman (Mr W. Gow), Captain M'Donald, Messrs J, W. Munro, M.P., W. G. Love, J. M‘C. Dickson, and the mover be set up to go into the question, with power to confer .with the Government and others interested and report to the board at its ordinary meeting to bo held in January next.” “J am afraid I have to ask the board to withdraw this motion,” saih Mr Loudon. He had prepared a plan of the area and had asked the board’s engineer (Mr J. M‘G. Wilkie) to ascertain the minimum area required. It was 1,000 yards by 1,000 yards. While the area had the length from east to west of probably 2.000 yards, the width from north to south was only 500 yards. The only way to obtain more runway in the north and south directions would be by reclamation. A Member: Or by shifting the wall. Mr Loudon; Or another wall, f am not prepared to shift the wall. I had a lot of information about the revenue derived from airports in the various parts of the world, but in view of Mr Wilkie’s plan and report I cannot go on with my motion. Mr Moller; You were up in the air. Mr London: No. Mr Gow: A forced landing? (Laughter.) A Member: A false finding? [Laughter.) “I'have much information on the same subject, and I am sorry to see Mr Loudon’s motion fall through,” said Mr J. H. Duncan. “The information T have received is that the best airport required is in our harbour. The only service along the coast can be by amphibian machines. This is a matter we should keep before us. Mr Gow: V r o will require a few slips to draw the machines up after landing. Mr Duncan: That is done in other parts of the world. You should remember that tho day will come soon when we will need an airport. Mr W. G. Love; There is no room in the Upper Harbour. Mr Duncan: There is plenty of room.

“I hope at some future date to bring the matter up again, but at the present juncture it would be a waste of time in Face of tho engineer’s report,” said Mr Loudon. The motion was withdrawn.