The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1933. LANDING GROUNDS FOR AIRCRAFT.

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 4 November 1933, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1933. LANDING GROUNDS FOR AIRCRAFT.

Delivered every evening: by 5 o’clock in Hawera Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho Oeo. Pihama, Opunake, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltbam, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awaiuna, Te Kiri, Hahce. Lowgarth, Manutahi, Kakaramea, Alton, Hurleyvilla, Patea, Whenuakura, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremeie. Fraser Road and Ararata.

It is satisfactory to find that the Government’s decision to provide a chain of landing grounds for aircraft has been followed by an immediate tour of inspection by Public Works officers. In air transport New Zealand is lagging far behind other modern countries and the provision of ground organisation will be welcomed by all who realise that in neglecting the development. of aviation the Dominion is not only retarding a peace-time activity of first-class importance, but is also omitting to provide for a line of defence of more consequence to New Zealand than to most other countries. The request of the deputation which recently waited on the Minister for Defence that the provision of landing grounds should be treated as a matter of national concern was in every way reasonable, and it is gratifying to find that the Government is seized with its Importance. It is almost unnecessary to say that the sum of £SOOO which the Government has set aside for the development of the plan must be regarded as only a first instalment. The relief workers who will be engaged on the construction of the grounds will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that they arc doing a job that is useful and worth while—qualifications which cannot, unfortunately, he applied to all the work on which they have been employed. Wisdom has been

shown in'placing a Public "Works engineer at the disposal of the Defence Department to oversee the work. The appointment of a permanent officer who understands the requirements' of aerodrome and landing ground construction is a necessary step in a national ground organisation scheme. With a chain of well-planned aerodromes and emergency landing grounds constructed throughout the country, a first and very important move will nave been made towai’ds the development of swift air transport and mail services such as are available to the people of practically every other civilised country in the world. In New Zealand the carriage of mails by aeroplane assumes greater importance in view of the coming inauguration of the air mail and passenger service between Britain and Australia. The saving in time for ordinary inter-island and intercity mail is also worth considering. Having established the chain of aerodromes and landing grounds, the next step is to place them under the control of a competent authority which will be responsible for their maintenance and the administration of necessary regulations.