AUCKLAND'S AIRPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 15

AUCKLAND'S AIRPORT

Sir, —There have been letters urging the suitability of Shoal Bay as a site for Auckland's airport. J remember such experts as Sir Charles KingsfordSniitli and the late Charles Ulm telling us Mangere is too far away from city central. It is balf-an-hour's motor drive from Queen Street. Since the local aero club has spent much time and money as pioneers of aerial development in our midst we cannot afford to ignore the claims of Mangere as one of our air terminals. Those who support Shoal Bay seem to have taken the harbour bridge for granted, for would not an airport at Shoal Bay bo on the wrong side of the harbour? Consider the claims of Hobson Bay or Orakei Basin for instance. By car via the Waterfront Boad to an airport for land and seaplanes in that tidal reach would bring Mangere within ]5 minutes of Queen Street by air; that is to say, a feeder service could be flown between this site and Mangere. Oversea services could make such a site on the southern shore of the harbour a terminal, while our internal services used Mangere as terminal for their lighter craft, both land and seaplanes. A retaining wall at Hobson Bay, with tidal gates, and the same provision on a tidal creek at Mangere would provide accommodation for seaplanes. The fact that the sewerage outlet runs across the bay would he no obstacle if included in the area reclaimed. The same may be said of the railway embankment if need be. Some there are who would veto such a scheme owing to the proximity of the sewerage outlet at Orakei. Still by the time this idea has had full consideration by the experts, perhaps the Drainage Board will have established the overdue sewerage purification works on Brown's Island. Let us hope so. J.T.B.