N.Z.’s Air Terminals Fixed Temporarily

Northern Advocate, 25 August 1945, Page 6

N.Z.’s Air Terminals Fixed Temporarily

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day The Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation (Hon. F. Jones) today stated that as a result of action taken by certain local bodies to enlist support of their claims for the location of overseas air terminals in their respective districts, his office had been inundated with correspondence forwarding resolutions passed by local authorities throughout the Dominion in support cf one or other of these claims. Although it was encouraging to note the interest being taken by local oodies and various other organisations in the development of overseas air services, Mr. Jones indicated that no amount of enthusiasm would be premitted to cloud the essential issues, which are primarily technical and economic. “There is as yet no certainty of the number of international services which will include New Zealand as a port of call, and it is most unlikely that any cf the main international services will call at more than one point in New Zealand, particularly in view of New Zealand’s location in relation to world air rbutes. “Further minimum standards to be adopted for aerodromes serving international air services are yet to be precisely determined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Auckland, Ohakea

“The position in New Zealand is that there is a fully equipped seaplane base at Mechanics Bay, Auckland, and land plane aerodromes at both Whenuapai and Ohakea, developed for war purposes, which will be adequate to provide for international air services until such time as the ultimate minimum standards for overseas air terminals are determined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. “The Government has decided

that these facilities shall be used in

the meantime. “Although technical officers of the department have continually under review progress towards the development of minimum international standards for overseas air terminals, their primary consideration at present is directed towards ensuring that aerodromes on internal air services are developed to the standard necessary to permit the development of the most efficient system of internal air service, using modern aircraft. This system of internal air services will facilitate internal distribution of overseas air traffic, irrespective of where the overseas air terminal is ultimately located.