Centre of Aviation

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 174, 26 July 1935, Page 6

Centre of Aviation

Wellington View of City’s Future POSSIBILITIES SHOULD NOT BE NEGLECTED That Palmerston North was destined to be the most important centre for aviation in New Zealand, was the opinion expressed by Mr. M. G. C. McCaul, president of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce, when speaking at the annual dinner of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce last evening. One bad only to look at the map, the speaker said, to discover the strategic position it occupied.

MV. McCaul said Palmerston North and Wellington must work together in the interests of their aviation progress. There was no suggestion of Wellington being jealous of Palmerston North’s “air” progress, nor of Palmerston North being jealous of Wellington over what the capital might secure and Palmerston North did not. Mr. McCaul mentioned Palmerston North’s exclusion from the route of Great Pacific Airways, Ltd., and suggested that may be it had been because Palmerston North did not put up a big enough fight for retention. He believed, however, that Palmerston North had been apade prosperous because it dominated transport routes and not solely because it was the centre of a i-ieli farming district. But was Palmerston North going to allow that dominating position to be undermined? Palmerston North looked prosperous which declared the vigour of its people, and Air. McCaul suggested that a little of that vigour should be put. into efforts to retain Ihc air services that would soon be available.

In replying to Air. McCaul, Air. A. ■T. Graham, president of the Palmerston North Chamber, said there was not the slightest doubt that in Ihc very near future Palmerston North would be an airport of all the great trunk services. The chamber had gone into the matter with the City Council and taken a certain course of notion. The city’s situation would demand its inclusion.