GRANT FOR AERODROME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 16

GRANT FOR AERODROME

NELSON TO RECEIVE £28,000 WORK TO PROCEED AT ONCE [BY TELEGRAPH —PKE3S ASSOCIATION] NELSON, Saturday The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Scruple, has advised Mr. H. Atmore, M.P. for Nelson, that he has received the approval of the Minister of Finance of the suggested basis of the financial arrangements for the Nelson aerodrome, namely, a contribution of £28,000 from the Government funds and a contribution of £7£K)O from the Nelson Harbour Board, an estimated cost of £35,000. The Government quota, says Mr. Semple, is a liberal one, but consideration has been given to the fact that a promise had been made previously to the board in this connection. It is, in fact, more liberal than the basis of finance which the Government has adopted for aerodrome construction generally. To avoid delay the Minister is calling for tenders immediately. The chairman of the board, Mr. A. Gould, says the bqard has everything in readiness, including plans and specifications and the land selected. SITE AT WHANGAREI PROPOSALS BEFORE AUTHORITY [froai our OWN correspondent] WHANGAREI, Saturday The , Whangarei aviation authority, comprising representatives of the Whangarei Borough Council and Whangarei County Council, is investigating several proposed sites for an aerodrome for Whangarei. At a meeting of the authority held in committee this week technical reports on the Otaika area and other proposed sites were considered.

The Mayor, Mr. W. Jones, who is the chairman of the authority, stated that he had no statement to make other than that the authority wag invesigating three alternative sites. Included among those was an extensive area on the Onerahi plateau, about five miles from Whangarei, where officers of the Public Works Department had been carrying out a survey for some time. The area was approximately 120 feet above sea level and was free from all natural obstruction, including fog.