AIR TERMINAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22579, 18 November 1936, Page 14

AIR TERMINAL

PACIFIC SERVICE SUITABILITY OF ORAKEI AUSTRALIAN OFFICER'S VIEW Preference for Orakei, instead of Lady's Bay, as a site for tho terminal of the proposed transpacific air service was expressed to the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, bv WingConimander A. Hepburn, director of works and buildings for the Boy a I Australian Air Force, after his recent inspection of aerodrome facilities in Auckland. This fact was mentioned by Mr. Jones yesterday after a visit of inspection, which he made with Lord Hartington, Parliamentary UnderSecretarv of Stat* 1 for Dominion Affairs,, to the Hobsojiville Air Base. It was stated, said Mr. Jones, that near the possible Orakei site there was an adequate depth of watei 1 , of 32ft., at low tide. All the other necessary conditions, including more shelter than could be provided at the Lady's Bay site, were to be found at Orakei. When Wing-Commander Hepburn's suggestion was brought to tho notice of Mr. D. Holderness, engineer for the Auckland Harbour Board, who drafted the plans for an air terminal at Lady's Bay, he said that a site near the point on the western side of Orakei Bay had been one of the alternative suggestions made by liirn when the question was first discussed. When tho Orakei suggestion had been placed before some aviation authorities, however, it was decided that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages. The site had not been so favourably commented upon before Wing-Commander Hepburn's suggestion. Mr. Holderness said that he did not wish to bo dogmatic about the greater advantages of Lady's Bay, and it was quite possible that some other site would be decided upon, since those who were concerned in the matter where not at a stage where a definite decision one way or the other could be made. Sufficient data to work upon had not yet been obtained.