TASMAN AIR TERMINAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 194, 18 July 1939, Page 8

TASMAN AIR TERMINAL

CLAIMS OF MILSON. IF LAND ’PLANES ARE USED. “I talked the matter over with an official of Imperial Airways when I was in Australia recently, and ho was of the opinion that possibly alter three or four years had passed they would he using land ’planes lor the Tasman air service,” said Dir Dt. A. Eliott, of Palmerston North, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, in referring to the subject of a terminal on this side oi (lie Tasman Sea, in an address to the Palmerston North Rotary Club yesterday. “He is of the opinion that the Dfilson Aerodrome will he used for the terminal when this happens,” added Dir Eliott, “and not anywhere else in New Zealand. He knows the situations in New Zealand, and is of tho opinion that the New Plymouth airport is too risky on account of tho lact that, Dlt. Egmont in heavy weather would he a. potential source of danger. In clear weather it would be a landmark, and lie contended that in that case it would he just as easy to come on to Palmerston North.” Earlier in his address, Dir Eliott had referred to tho controversy between Auckland and Wellington in regard to their respective claims to have tho trans-Tasman terminal. “Auckland naturally pushed its claims to the utmost-,” said Mr Eliott, “and the Government, to avoid taking sides, left the decision as to which was tlie more suitable place in the hands of experts. Safety first was the motto of the experts.” The exports had obtained all tlie necessary data and had found that Auckland was the more suitable place. They had been disappointed in Wellington, hut the information in regard to weather conditions had shown that the number of days on which ’planes would lie able to land in Auckland was more than those for Wellington. Dir Eliott, continuing, said that the latest move had been to urge the establishment of a triangular service, hut the Government had put that off ill the meantime. He contended that with the improvements going on almost dailv in aircraft, both seaplanes and land ’planes, tho question of suitabilitv as far as the weather was concerned would not enter into calculations so much in the future. As far ns tho distribution of mail and the disembarkation of passengers was concerned, Wellington was much better situated.