WAIROA SUPPORT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22617, 21 April 1948, Page 6

WAIROA SUPPORT

LOCAL AERO CLUB AIRFIELD PROVISION ADVANTAGE TO DISTRICT . S-R.) WAIROA. April 21. Definite steps fire being taken by the vVniroa Aero Club to establish an acre'lrome at Pseron. a block of land mst '.vas taken over by the Government for the purpose of establishing an aerodrome for the district This was announced by a deputation that waited on the County Council yesterday. After hearing club representatives. Messrs. J Lawrence and J. Alien, the County Council decided to instruct the county chairman Mr A T. Carroll, to take the matter up with the Minister of Defence while ir. Wellington with a view to assisting the club and, ;r. the meantime, the council will give support in every possible way to encourage 'he chib to proceed with the scheme. Visits to Gisborne In the course of his remarks Mr. Lawrence referred to the difficulty experienced by the Wairoa flying enthusiasts in taking instruction at Gisborne- and also the expense which was becoming too great for members to meet. With tire establishment of a landing field at Wairoa he believed that a long overdue service would be available in a time of emergency. Mr. Lawrence said that had a runway been available recently at least two lives would have been saved, but due to the fact that there was no place for an ambulance plane to land, such a service could not be made use of Grazing Rights Sought Mr. Lawrence said that the club was prepared to establish a runway of sufficient dimensions to allow the smaller type of planes to use it at no cost whatever to the County Council or to any other local body, but asked that the club be granted grazing rights of the area and also authority to charge an entrance fee whenever the club held pageants. A similar case was placed before the Borough Council last evening when the Mayor. Mr. C. V. Chamberlain, replied that while the club had the fullest sympathy of the council the position was difficult in that any revenue being received from the land at present must be placed to the credit of the harbour fund, and if it was agreed to hand over the land then a special rate would have to be struck over the whole county and borough to make up the deficit. However, this could be overcome by the council making a grant to the club and he anticipated no difficulty in that direction.