WOOL STORAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25047, 10 November 1944, Page 4

WOOL STORAGE

PROVISION IN AUCKLAND former defence buildings New season's wool is now flowing into brokers' stores in preparation for the second appraisal of the season on November 15. The storage arrangements 1 made for the substantial carry-over from 1 last season are working smoothly and no abnormal difficulty is being experienced in handling the new clip. Carry-over wool is now being transferred to storage obtained in other parts of the city, existing suburban buildings providing about 48,000 ft for immediate needs. Later further accommodation will be provided by the new buildings now being erected by the. Works Department in a convenient locality. Material for these buildings is being obtained from prefabricated structures of the hangar type not now required by the Air Foreo About seven of these stores are being erected. Thev will be substantial structures, very suitable for storage because of the absence of supporting columns or pillars and will provide about 64,000 ft of floor space. Levelling and work on the foundations have been almost finished and it is expected that the stores will be ready before Christinas. Further space has been obtained in a former suburban army camp where about 50,000 ft has been made available by the use of ten mess huts and some subsidiary buildings. Other storage space in smaller areas around the city is being taken over as it becomes available from the forces. STATE DEPARTMENTS MORE SPACE NEEDED CENTRALISATION URGED More floor space for Government departments is being sought in the city. It is now definite that the Land and Income Tax Department, which is establishing branch offices throughout the Dominion, will be housed in the Jean Batten building. The fourth floor of the Dilworth Building is being retained by the Government for departmental purposes and the fifth floor is being handed back to the Dilworth Trust Board. It was stated yesterday that the other occupied floors will revert to the owners as soon as they become available, but the board has not yet received any advice concerning these floors. The manner in which Government departments now sprawl over the citv is again focussing attention upon the need for a plan of centralisation. A city businessman said yesterday that it was not too soon to start on such a plan as it would take some years to complete. The Government's present method of ncvpiirins a set of offices here and another building there was not only uneconomic but was robbing the public of floor space. It was understood that several suggestions for a site for a central building to house all departments had been made and efforts should be directed now toward acquiring one of these. RONGOTAI AIRPORT EXTENSION PLAN OPPOSED PUBLIC PROTEST MEETING (0.C.) WELLINGTON. Thursday Opposition to the Rongotai airport extension scheme ran high at a meeting of nearly 500 householders from that area and the Kilbirnie. Lyall Bay. Miramar, Strathmore and Seatoun districts. Successive speakers labelled the proposal hare-brained, preposterous, imprudent, crazy, unreasonable. and unjust. Whether the site was the best in the world—which they declared it was not —they did not want the aerodrome there! Statements were made that the roar of the planes was making nervous wrecks of the children, that the noise of a large airport would bo unbearable, and that it would be impossible to sleep in such a bedlam. The meeting adopted a resolution placing on record its opinion that the scheme, involving the removal of many homes and the curtailment of building sites urgently required for housing development and play areas, was fundamentally unsound; that the area, being almost completely residential, was not suitable for development, as a commercial airport; that residents would be subjected to increased danger am! disturbance from undue noise night and day; that any airport development should be in an area beyond the city, where provision could be made in keeping with the requirements of modern and future aircraft. A deputation representative of the residents of the district is to wait on the Prime Minister. Mr Flaser, to voice the protest endorsed by the meeting. NAVAL PROMOTIONS NEW ZEALAND OFFICERS LONDON, Nov. S Promotions in the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve are announced as follows: Lieutenant. —W. J. D. Minogue, Auckland; L. H. Clarke. Te Kuiti; L. S. Holmes-Edge. Christchurch. Sub-Lieutenant. —J. Murdoch. Ponsonhy; P. .T. Howie. Wellington; A. F. Thomas and R. T. Lorimer, Takapunn; R. F. Wilson. Heme Bay; G. N. Horspool. Auckland; M. F. Radich, Inglegood; A. R. Bean, Mount Kden; J. A. Grace. Invercargill; D. B. Stanford, Marton; M. W. Wisheart, J. Kelly. Fleet,'* Air Arm promotions are: Lieutenant. —R. J. Spiers, Auckland; J. A. Gleclhill, Wellington. Sub-Lieutenant. —R. D. McFarlane, Remuera; R. G. S. Mcßrearty, Wellington. SUBDIVISION DISPUTE COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENT (0.C.) HAMILTON, Thursday Disapproval of the attitude taken toward the Hamilton Borough Council by the Department of Housing Construction was expressed by members last night. In reply to the council, the director, Mr G. W. Albertson, stated that he could not agree to submit any of the proposals regarding some State houses in Graham Street for the borough engineer's approval beyond such points as footpath crossings and the disposal of surface water. He said that, although the council's wish to constitute the access to the back sections as legal rights-of-way was sound in principle, it was not possible, as the allotments would not be sold and therefore there would be no parties in whom to invest the legal rights. Further, it was intended to form the entrances properly in accordance with one or other of the department's standard designs. This matter was regarded as a purely domestic concern between the department, the State Advances Corporation and the tenants. In any case, it would not he possible to carry on this work at present. The Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, said that be took strong exception to the letter. He felt that exactly the same view should be taken of State housing by the council as that of houses erected by private enterprise. A resolution was passed that permission for the subdivision should be refused and that Mr F. Findlav. M.P., should be asked to take the matter up with the Housing Director in Wellington. HORSES HIRED TO ARMY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday The Gazette tonight gives notice that the Minister of Defence has released and discharged from their obligations all parties who entered into agreements for the hire of horses for the duration of the war.