LANDING GROUNDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 14

LANDING GROUNDS

EARUY PROVISION f SPEEDING UP ADVOCATED REQUEST FOR EXTRA £20,000 [BY TEI,KGHAFH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday Tho speeding up of the construction of landing grounds in tho back country was advocated at ft meeting of the council of the New Zealand Aero Club to-day. It was stated that rapid advancement in commercial aviation had made tho provision of such grounds an urgent necessity. It was decided to make representations to the Government for an increase in the Public Works vote of £20,000, to bo allocated for aerodrome construction for which provision cannot be made from tho Defence Vote or from unemployment funds. Reviewing events since tho last meeting of the council in October, Mr. M. G. M. Spence said that as a result of the Defence Department withholding over £IOOO of the promised subsidy, strong representations were made to the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, to over-rule the decision of the Treasury, but the Minister said he could not do so.

Mr. Spence said he mado a special visit to Wellington to interview the Minister with a view to getting a fresh and more satisfactory basis fixed for the present year, but no decision had been made by the Department so far. It was proposed to send a deputation to the Minister.

It was decided to apply to tho Minister for an increase in subsidy to £IO.OOO, and to make strong representations for the basis of allocation to be fixed as early in the financial year as possible. Mr. Spence suggested that in future the Government should allocate one aeroplane to every 20 pilots between the ages of 17 and 35 trained by clubs and obtaining A licences. The number of trainees and prospective pupils at present was as great or greater than it iliad been at any time since clubs commenced training, and additional machines were essential if additional pilots were to be trained. It; was decided to approach tho Minister on the subject.

DUNEDIN AIRPORT NEW SITE SUGGESTED [by TELEGRAPH —OWN' correspondent] DUNEDIN. Friday A proposal has been made in Dunedin for the establishment of an airport on what; is known as tfce southern endowment area, which lies between the head of the harbour and Anderson's Bay Ron.d. This land is under the control of the Otago Harbour Board, which, at its last meeting, "received and noted" a r'jport from its engineer recommending that the board should postpone its decision on the subject until the reclamation of the area has been completed. This operation is estimated to occupy four or five years. While the board's policy is, therefore, one of " wait and see," those who are closely connected with aviation in Otago express the view that this area must eventually become the airport of Dunedim. The present aerodrome is at Tai.eri.