EMERGENCY AERODROME

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 April 1934, Page 12

EMERGENCY AERODROME

GREYMOUTH SITE FAVOURED

LOCAL BODIES’ CONFERENCE

The question as to the suitability of laud adjacent to the Blaketown lagoon, which it is proposed to develop as an emergency landing ground for aeroplanes, was fully discussed at a meeting of the local body representatives, held in Greymouth last evening. The meeting favoured the project, which will entail a cost of £5ll, to be met proportionately by the local bodies interested, the balance- of the cost, amounting to £914, being found by the Unemployment. Board. Whether the suggestion to proceed later with more extensive work, which would necessitate filling in portion of the lagoon, at a. cost of approxiraately £16,000, will be adopted, will not be considered in the meantime. From opinions expressed at last evening’s meeting, it is probable that the Taylorville site will be selected as the main landing ground.

The Mayor (Mr. ,T. W. Greenslade) presided, Messrs F. A. Kitchingham, J. B. Kent, F. Boustridge, F. H. Denton, A. J. Fair maid (Greymouth Borough Council), !. W. Hannan, J. Higgins (Grey County Council), R. McTaggart (Mayor of Runanga), J. Smeaton (Mayor of Brunner), P. J. McLean, D. Tennent, D. C. Milue (Harbour Board, H. G. Carter, R. A. Barrowman (Grey Hospital Board), A. H. McKane, U. Mettrick (Cobden Town Board), A. J. McDowall, H. De Castro, W. Norton, J. Brailsford (Grey Aero Club), being also present. The Mayor stated that the meeting had been convened for the purpose of discussing the proposed aerodrome site. He would not dwell upon the many delays and difficulties that had arisen since the project was first mooted, for the movers in it had been “kicked and cuffed the whole way through.” Several sites had been inspected, including Cobden, Taylorville, and the site which it was now finally suggested, should be adopted, in the vicinity of the Blaketown lagoon, at the rear of the Greymouth Hospital. Other sites had been inspected and were definitely unsuitable. The meeting had been called to go into the aspects of the question, and the speaker proposed to read the reports from the Directors of Air Services, the Borough Council and Harbour Board engineers, and then give the figures relating to the cost of the whole scheme, and the approximate cost of outlay to each local body. The ContrcjlTer of Civil Aviation wrote, on March 7 as follows: —Of the three sites examined last year by Mr. Gibson and myself, i.e., the site on the foreshore opposite the Hospital, the area on the Taylorville Road and the Cobden site, I am definitely of the opinion that the Hospital site should be developed first. The area on the Taylorville Road is a bigger proposition and while it offers more scope for subsequent development, it will always suffer from certain meteorological disadvantages not shared by the former site. The Hospital site will, moreover, remain valuable emergency or alternative landing ground. The Cobden site is not considered' suitable for development, chiefly on account of the dangerous down currents known to exist here. A copy of the report of the Engineer, Mr. Gibson, is forwarded for your information.

COPY OF REPORT BY MR. GIBSON Greymouth: (a) Taylorville Site: This site consists of an irregularly shaped area approximately 25 chains by 28 chains capable-of extension later if required. The location is 31 miles from Greymouth on the Taylorville Road in State Coal Mine Reserve, Block 5, Cobden S.D., Grey County. The area available is on a shingle terrace 200 feet above sea level, and the whole is pakahi or semi-pahaki land which will prove expensive in surface treatment to bring to a satisfactory standard. The surface is sbmewhat uneven although the existing folds which all lie in one general direction, can be ironed out in the general grading work without undue expense on their account. Slopes of 1 in 66 to 1 in 70 on runways with cross fall of 1 in 40 to 1 in 60 can be readily obtained. To south, east and south west the terrace falls away and is quite clear of obstructions. To the north east the terrace continues gently rising at approximately 1 in 100 or lin 110. To the west and north west and north the boundary is of high standing bush falling away steeply into a deep gully. This can be felled along a shallow front, leaving, the approach from these points unobstructed. The prospect is open in this immediate vicinity but as the site lies in a wide basin surrounded by hills which are at many times cloud capped at SOO to 1000 feet, while a river fog sometimes fills the valley to the level of the terrace, it seems likely that there will be occasions when the only approach will be up the Grey Gorge through the narrow gateway at Greymouth, between two layers of mistAs in the Kumara site, if this ground is developed, development for many years would have to be confined to runways only, on account of the high cost of development. Runways of at least 550 yards in the direction of prevailing winds could be provided in any initial scheme and later extended to at least 800 yards. Hospital Site: —This site is situated south of the town on the coast opposite the Hospital, bounded' by Merrick Street to the north, Collingwood Street to the South, Karoro Lake to the east, the Tasman Sea to the west, and is within % mile of the centre of the town. While limited ,in extent, the whole of the landing area having to be made, two good runways in the direction of the prevailing winds can be laid down and it is probable that these will serve the needs of Greymouth for some years to come. The site is not capable of being extended later but when ; it does become too small for the traffic offering, will form a valuable all weather emergency ground as an adjunct to any larger development such as Taylorville. The land required’ is in part vested in the Greymouth Borough and in part in the Marine Department, the latter area being used by the Grey Harbour Board as a ponding area. When formed, the surface of the runways would consist of sand and shingle but it is considered that sufficient clay and mud could be obtained from the lake bed at low tide to enable a good turf to be established. The surface, after construction, would be almost level, with just sufficient cross-fall for drainage purposes. The immediate vicinity of the runways which it is considered will suit all

winds will he clear from obstructions within a reasonable distance, giving a clear take-off for heavily laden machines. The length of the runways will be 550 yards and 600 yards as shown on the accompanying plan. The Borough Engineer is proceeding With the survey of this site and I woujd recommend that as soon as satisfactory plans and titles to the ground are submitted, this site he prepared by unemployed labour and brought into use as early as possible. The estimated' cost per acre of runway is as follows: —Levelling, grading and grassing, 20 acres at £45, £900; bank section Karoro Lake, 9 acres at £3OO, £2,700; total, £3,600. The Mayor stated it would be conclusively proved that the cost as estimated by the Director of Air Services, would be much greater. Evidently some mistake had occurred in the Director's estimates. The Mayor then proceeded to read the report, from the Borough Council and Harbour Board engineers. ENGINEERS’ REPORT Messrs. A. J. Fairmaid and D. C. Milne submitted the following report: Following the lines of the preliminary design prepared by Mr. E. A. Gibson, Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department, for his report to the Director of Air Services and more detailed' investigation has been made in collaboration with Air. D. C. Milne, Engineer to the Grey Harbour Board. A detailed survey has not been made but the plans prepared for the Harbour Board Lagoon Dock Scheme have been available and the data contained therein has been satisfactory for the purnose of the immediate object in view, the preparation of a considered estimate of the cost of the scheme. Considering first the runway proposed across the tidal lagoon, the cheaper development is that on the alignment shown on Mr. Gibson’s plan. A more southerly location seems to offer advantages, but the filling required was found to be 50 per cent. more. The filling of the adopted' alignment amounts to 86,617 cubic yards to which must be added at least 10 per cent, loss due to the soft bottom in parts of the lagoon bed, making a total of 95,000 cubic yards in round figures. Three methods of obtaining this filling have been considered, namely:— (1) by Priestman grab and auxiliary plant from the lagoon bed; (2) by dray line excavator from the same source; (3)

by manual labour methods from best available borrow pit. Alethods 1 and

2 are ruled out as being unsuitable for a job on which a primary consid-

eration is the providing of the means of subsistence for men otherwise unemployed, apparently the only feasible site for a borrow pit is on the land between the Hokitika railway

and the lagoon, from Alessrs. Harley and Company’s timber yard northwards to and across the mouth of Sawyer’s Creek. From here, working to a depth of two feet above L.W.O.S.T. approximately 65,000 cubic yards of spoil would be available, the balance would have to be found by working portion of the bed of the

lagocn uncovered at the lower states of the tide. The land referred to is partly privately owned,, the Government valuation being £320, the remainder is municipal reserve and domain. The. finished level of the runway has been fixed at 103 feet, above datum or 3 feet 4 inches above H.W.O.S.T. This level would provide reasonable immunity from flood but a really high flood in the river would put it under up to one foot, of water. However, such floods are of infrequent occurrence, and providing for such would increase the cost by a substantial sum. Where subject to wave action the boundary slopes of the runway would require to be covered with beach shingle at least, though a heavier material would be desirable but considerably more costly. The shingle required could with safety be taken from behind the sea beach between the abattoir paddock and high water mark, but it is most undesirable to remove more shingle than would be required for this purpose. Regarding the dry land runway, that area of land bounded on the south by the abattoir paddock, on the west by the sea beach, on the

north by Merrick Street and on the

east by the lagoon, presents little or no difficulty in preparation, the length

available is between 27 and 28 chains with a width of 9 chains between the 103 foot contoni' on the -lagoon side and high water mark on the beach. This runway would not be exactly on Mr. Gibson’s proposed alignment, being some degrees north-east and south-west of the due north and south as proposed, but filling would be obviated and the lagoon runway presents sufficient difficulty in the initial stages without undertaking filling on the dry land runway also. The fol-

n lowing estimates show, total estimatl ed cost, labour cost only, the differ- - ence between this and (1) above being ■ allowed for by land purchase, plant • charges and material costs on this, s labour is estimated at 13/4 per day all i I round, a certain amount of skilled labour would be necessary but would be covered by the item of contingencies; labour costs based on a rate of 10/- per day; monies to be found by interested local authorities to meet the difference between 13/4 and 10/per day, and land, plant and material charges referred to in (2) above. Labour estimated at 10/- per day would be available from the Unemployment Board under its No. 5 Scheme. The Mayor said the estimates had been based on the standard rate of pay, for it was considered that the unemployed workers should not be called upon to carry out such work at the rate of 10/- per day. Provided the men did satisfactory work, they would receive the standard rate of 13/4 per day. The estimated cost, prepared by Messrs Fairmaid and Milne, was as follows: — ESTIMATE OF COST.

The dry-land section, having a oneway run. said the ATayor, was estimated to cosi £1,425. less wages costs equal to .10/- per day per man, found by tlie Unemployment Board, leaving £5ll to be provided by the local bodies. It was estimated that it would take six mouths to carry the work into effect. The estimated cost for the whole scheme was £15,052, and taking into consideration labour cost found by the Unemployment Board, it left, a balance of £5,790. With the labour that would be offering, the work would take three years to complete. It was hoped, however, that the unemployed would not be with them for the next three years, otherwise it would be a bad lookout for everybody. It. was for the meeting to say whether they would proceed with the one runway, which would give a start to aviation in the district, and then, if considered desirable, the work of filling in the lagoon site could be carried out. The cost for the dry-land area, would not be great, with each local body contributing. The Greymouth, Brunner, and Runanga Borough Councils, the Grey County Council, and the Cobden Town Board could contribute out of their ordinary revenue, and other local bodies could contribute an amount equivalent to the amount of their unauthorised expenditure. Estimated on a population basis, the cost to each local body would be: —Greymouth Borough Council, 6,300 people, £171; Brunner, 700, £l9; Cobden, 1200, £32/2/-; Runanga, 1400, £3B; Grey County 4,400, £119; Power Board £100: and Harbour Board £120; a total cost of £599/2/-. The cost of the dry-land section was estimated at £1425, but the cost to the local bodies would be £5ll, to be provided as suggested on a population ratio. The small ; expense to each local body, if each sanctioned the work, would enable the dry-land area to be proceeded with immediately the Director of Air Services agreed. When this work was .carried out, it could then be considered whether the work on the dock lagoon was necessary.

Mr. Kent asked whether the Government might not consider increasing its subsidy, seeing that the estimates of the Government, engineer were much below the actual cost. The Mayor stated that all the Government supplied was labour, at the ; rate of 10/- per day. Mr. Smeaton asked whether the suggested dry-land area would be sufficient for large planes, such as the “Southern Cross,” to land. The Mayor: No, it would not be sufficiently large for an overseas airship. They may be able to land, but they could not take off with a big load, such as they would be carrying if returning from here to Australia. The idea is that New Plymouth will be the main port of call for overseas planes, and from there subsidiary services will carry mail and such-like to the different townships in New Zealand. It does not look as though we will get the big planes here. We are really catering for the smaller planes, jit is not a commercial proposition we are considering, such as catering for overseas airships, but the area would be sufficiently large for our purposes. Mr. De Castro said there was nothing to suggest that overseas planes would make their first call here. It looked as though Mount Egmont would continue to be. the landmark for overseas planes. The Mayor- stated that the Taylorville site had been definitely ruled out bv the Air Director, owing to the prevalence of fogs. It was made clear by the authorities, that the district must have an emergency ground. Even though they had the Taylorville site, it would still be necessary to have the emergency area. FOG AT TAYLORVILLE. Mr Boustridge: We have had no definite information as to hovv much fog interferes with the Taylorville site. Mr De Castro: There have been occasions when fog has made it impossible to land. One plane had to go to Hokitika, and the passenger return to Greymouth by rail.

The Mayor: All we can do is to be guided by experts. Observations have been taken at Taylorville, and survey and drainage work carried out there, but the authorities state we must have an emergency ground. Mr Fairmaid stated that last winter was rathei- good, but the approaching winter did not promise to be as good, for it had opened up early. From observations made last winter, only on

two or three occasions would it have been possible for a plane to land be-

fore :» a.m., o-wing - to mist, and the fog about. Cobden hill. Mr Smeaton said he understood the idea was to develop the lagoon site, only insofar as the dry-land area, in the meantime. The Mayor: Yes. We could not go on with the big cost, but one runway would be a start. If we do not do something right away, then the district will lose its status, and we will be right out of the picture. The whole of the air business will proceed to Westport, and Hokitika. Mr Smeaton agreed, stating that it was not desirable that, the district, should be in the background. He was concerned, however, over the question of finance. He would welcome an assurance that the estimated cost would not be exceeded. On occasions an estimated cost, say, of £G,OOO. actually amounted with the completion of work, to something like £lO,OOO. As a representative of Brunner, and the Power Board, he wanted to take it back to his committees that the estimate would not be exceeded. The Mayor said that the dry land scheme did not. present any great diffi-1 culties. | Mr Smeaton: I have read in the i Press where the Harbour Board was likely to object, to the lagoon site. Mr McLean explained that the Harbour Board engineer had gone into the matter, and had concluded that the excavations which would be necessary to fill in that portion of the lagoon which would be later used for the aerodrome site, could be used to replace the area lost. The Harbour- Board was out to safeguard the port, and was now satisfied that where it would lose water space in the runway, it would be compensated for by the excavations. The Mayor pointed out that the Borough of Greymouth was proposing to give away a considerable area of land, the value of which was approximately £2,500, so that the Borough would be carrying a big part of the burden of cost. He asked for an expression of approval from the meeting, on the matter of a single runway, so that the dry land area could be developed. Later, the local bodies could consider the

question of further expenditure on the dock lagoon. He did not think the local bodies should experience any great difficulty in providing the amounts as set out, on a population basis. Mr McTaggart, for Runanga, stated that the proportion to be found by his Council, was a small amount, and he approved. Air Smeaton. for Brunner, approved of the proposal, but added that he would not like to say that the Brunner share of the cost would be easily procured.

Mr McKane, for Cobden, said he did not think there would be any difficulty in securing Cobden’s share. He felt that the meeting should be guideu by the opinions of the engineers, and he was satisfied with their report, and the site proposed. It was definite that there must, be an emergency ground, and there must be a commencing point, to the proposition. Air Hannan, for the County Council, said that personally, he would support, the proposal, but. lie could not commit the Council. In view of the fact that the Borough Council intended giving a large area of lano, he thought the County would contribute its share. He asked whether the project of the one runway would mean the closing of the road along the Blaketown side. The Engineer said that the runway would be placed down in such a way that the road would be on one side of it, and he thought that the road could continue to be used. There was a proposal to place the road on the outside of the area. Air Carter, for tlie Power Board,.said he was inclined to favour the project. Some time ago, he added, it had been mooted in the Press that a sum of money had been devoted by the Government for developing such grounds. The Alayor replied that the amount had been £5,000, spread over the whole of New Zealand. Air Carter added that he considered the Government was not taking the interest in aviation that it should. He could not understand why the Government was satisfied to call on the local bodies to find the money for development work. It was up to the Government to give more assistance.

The Alayor; They are spending a lot on machines. Mr Carter: Machines are worth nothing without grounds for landing. It seems essential that we have to develop an area, and I consider Taylorville as the best site. I have not the slightest doubt that aircraft transport is here to stay, and it will be a feature of our economic life, but I cannot understand why the Government is not favourable to assisting the local bodies. The ATayor: I think the Power Board will be able to assist. It is better off than most of the other local bodies.

QUESTION OF NOISE. Air Tennent asked whether any objection had been received from the Greymouth Hospital Board, as to the likely noise of machines taking off and landing. Air AlcTaggart replied that one member of the Board had objected, but there was no official objection from the Board. Air Barrowman said he considered that the noise of the planes would not be worse than the whistling of trains near the hospital. The Alayor: Or the roar of the s«*a, when patients are not. used to it. It is said that the sea sometimes affects patients, till they become used to it; not that 1 am suggesting the patients will be in the institution for a long time.

Mr Carter said that heavily-loaded trains which passed the hospital made more noise than would the planes. Mi- McTaggart stated that the landing ground would be a considerable distance away from the hospital.

Mr McLean, for the Harbour Board, said he could not commit the Board, but he agreed that it was essential that the district should have some landing ground, yet it was a “big order” to get the one across the lagoon. He favoured having the one runway completed, and the local bodies could then look about for a permanent site. The following resolution was moved by the Mayor: “That this meeting of local bodies approve the principle of developing the area, approved by the Borough and Harbour Board engineers, to be known as a dry-land area,

• at the approximate cost of £1425, the 1 nett cost to the local bodies interested being £5ll, on the basis as set down on a population basis; and that this be a recommendation to be carried by representatives present to their local bodies, for favourable consideration.” The motion was seconded by Mr R. McTaggart. Mr Boustridge said he did not think the meeting was considering the matter in the proper light. The proposal was to go on with half the proposed area, and when that was carried out, there would be only half a landing ground. The other half would cost in the vicinity of £16,000. He thought those present should have expressed their opinion as to which they preferred to take. The money it was proposed to spend on the dryland area, could be utilised in the development of a first-class ground, such as at Taylorville. To develop the lagoon site, it had been stated that £16.000 would be required, and “it was safe to say that the cost was under-estimated. “The money to be spent on the dry-land area would make the ultimate cost of developing a first-class ground, a good deal higher. When the dry-land area was completed, it would be only an emergency landing place. The site suggested was bounded on three sides by : the town of Greymouth. He did not , think that if the whole of New Zea- < land was searched, a ground similar- < ly placed to the proposed one, would < be found. . Mr Norton: Rongotai. (

Mr Boustridge said that Rongotai was well outside Wellington, tie favoured a landing ground that was clear of a town. There was one at Omoto which could be extended at a quarter the cost proposed, and it would make a. splendid emergency ground. If £6OO were spent on the Taylorville ground, it would be sufficient to make it approachable to a first-class ground. The work of developing the lagoon site would take three years, because the labour was not available, and as the subsidy could not be secured under that period the meeting should consider it, or condemn it. The money should be spent where it would do some good. The ■speaker was not going to consent to the Borough Council setting aside 25 acres, which would be closed for all time. In addition, it would have to be considered whether the road could be legally closed, and whether there might not be objections from the people. “The main object in having the grounds at the proposed site, is that they will be close to the hospital,

and the cemetery,” concluded Mr Boustridge. The Mayor stated that the deductions made by Mr Boustridge were wrong. The speaker had had fixed opinions, such as Mr Boustridge, but they had to look ahead. Mr Boustridge had overlooked the fact that an emergency ground was essential. Even though the meeting approved of the site, it would have to be referred to the Director of Air Services, and

it was a matter for the latter,to say whether the area, was suitable. In the meantime, the meeting should affirm the principle that there must be an emergency ground outside a permanent area. Every known area in the district had been exploited since 1928, and apart from the lagoon site, as an emergency ground, and the Taylorville site, nothing was suitable. The Director of Air Services had definitely stated that the Taylorville ground was not suitable alone.

.uireccor or Air services n.ui ly stated that the Taylorville ground was not suitable alone. Mr Boustridge: But the Director is not footing the bill. The Mayor: No, but. the amount needed for the one runway is small, and we should make a start under these conditions. Mr Carter asked whether the crosssection of the landing ground had to be developed. The Mayor: That was the idea, but we consider it too costly, and I propose that we make a start with the single runway. Mr Kitchingham said that he had been associated with the scheme since 1928, when Captain Buckley first reported on the possibilities of a ground in the district. Unfortunately, Mr Boustridge had raised the question of the suitability of the proposed site, only within the last 24 hours. The speaker had travelled the district, with Captain Buckley and Commander Wilkes, on different occasions, and it \ \

’ was finally agreed that before the Taylorville site was completed, there ■ must be an emergency landingground. After six years of careful investigation by the authorities, and engineers, they had finally approved of the scheme now proposed. There was no alternative but to go on with the emergency ground. Mr Smeaton supported the resolution, but added that he would not support the lagoon scheme. He believed that Taylorville had many advantages that the lagoon site did not possess. He agreed that the emergency ground should be proceeded with as early as possible. Another fact, he said, was that the unemployed men would get a little more assistance than previously, by being engaged on the work. The resolution was carried unanimously.

(1) Total Cost—Dry Land Section. d. Levelling, grading and grassing 28 acres at £45 .. .. .. 1,200 0 0 Providing abattoir paddock 35 ch. 0 0 Contingencies 10 per cent. 130 0 0 Lagoon section— Filling (load, lead and spread 95,000 cubic yards at 2/6 11,875 0 0 Plant construction (material) .. 763 10 0 Plant Construction (erection) .. 150 0 0 Tools 100 0 0 Protective works, 1500 cub. yards .111) 0 0 Levelling, grading and grassing 10 acres at £10 100 0 0 Land purchase (bottom pit) 320 0 0 Contingencies 10 per cent .. 1,368 10 0 Total £16.177 0 0 (2) Labour only, at 13/4 per day. £ s. d. Dry Land Section. 28 acres . . 1.078 0 0 Levelling etc.. Abattoir pdck. 30 0 0 Contingencies 10 per cent 111 0 0 Lagoon Section--Filling, 95.000 cubic yards 10,687 10 0 Structures 150 0 0 Protective Works 300 0 0 Levelling, etc 90 0 0 Contingencies 1,122 10 0 Total £13,569 0 0,

(3) Labour only, at 10/per day. £ 5?. d. Dry Land Section 914 0 0 Lagoon section 9,262 0 0 Total . £10,170 0 0 (4) To be found by Local Authorities. £ s. d. Dry Land Section .. ' 511 0 0 Lagoon Section .. .. 5,790 0 0