THE DUNEDIN AIRPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22720, 5 November 1935, Page 4

THE DUNEDIN AIRPORT

TO THE EDIXOK. • s lßj —That the Harbour Board has definitely decided not to hire its dredge Otakou to Napier is indeed a matter for commendation. The necessity for maintaining and improving the depth of the Victoria channel is still of great importance to the commercial life of Dunedin. But are the members of the board really alive to the necessity of having the ground at the southern endowment ready for an airport at the earliest possible moment? : When recently a member suggested measures concerning the future airport, one Of his colleagues stated that such talk Vas “ten years previous.” Further, the responsible officers of the board have already stated that the “slurry’ material from the steamers’ basin with which the area is being reclaimed will take five years to consolidate. Now, Sir, in the matter of a deep-water harbour, Dunedin never could hope to compete with the cities of the north, but in this mattter of making an up-to-date and efficient airport no other city in New Zealand lias the same facilities to hand; but it looks as though, while we, as usual,, are spending years in waiting for the air liners to tome and preparing" at. a snail s pace tor their adequate reception, the northern Cities will have their airports ready and Waiting for the advent of this coming means of transport. ... , - What is necessary, is the retention of the Otakou on three shifts’ continuous dredging and the equipment of two more sand-pumps of the Vulcan type with, efficient cutters to pump the. spoil and sand on to the area to be reclaimed. The real harbour sand and shells, in addition to the “ slurry,’’ would make for quicker consolidation. Then, as was Oie case With'the preparation of,Logan Park tor -the exhibition, the ground would 'be raised to. the necessary level in a year or mo. In addition to this, h> r cutting and pumping real sand from the immediate foreshore of the airport, we should have the necessary depth of water for the safe •landing of aquaplanes—m short, an -up-to-date airport with land and water for iU landing and taking-oil. purposes. The chance of making Dunedin m the first flight of airports is unique. When we iemember that, to the'modern airplane, ‘the journey down to Dunedin is only matter of a couple 01 hours and tha Dunedin is nearer to Australia than roostNew Zealand cities, it behoves our. local •authorities to wake up and be ready to .put Dunedin once more on the map,, ine Accessary machinery for pumping is not costly. The electric power is cheap and abundant. Labour is available. Let us ■be ready for our opportunity when it comes, which will be not in ten years time but more probab.y m .two. Anytow, better be a year early and waiting ihan eight or ten years too late and 3“ left,” as usual.—l am; etc., . ¥ November 2. Alert.