OTAGO’S CLAIMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26792, 8 June 1948, Page 4

OTAGO’S CLAIMS

Flying Boat Base

SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA

“It comes as a complete surprise to find that there is a prospect of a second Tasman air service being inaugurated, with Wellington as its New Zealand base,” said the chairman of the Otago Harbour Board, Mr W. R. Clarke, when commenting last night on the Press Association message that such a service would probably begin early next year. “ It has always been the opinion of the board that the Otago Harbour would be the most suitable terminal for a second trans-Tasman air service. I and other members of the board contend that our harbour is the safest in the South Island for flying boats to use.”

'The board had taken a keen interest in flying boats, Mr Clarke continued, and had set up a sub-com-mittee two years ago to make representations to the Air Department concerning the establishment of a base on the Upper Harbour. A meteorological seport on wind conditions had been promised by the department, but that report had never come forward The department had later said that a wind report was the affair of the Public Works Department, which could obtain it from the Meteorological Office Dangers Minimised “ I must point out,” he said, “ that the harbour, land-locked as it is, would be very safe and there would be 'no difficulty in obtaining the depth of water required for flying boats and seaplanes to operate from. It is the board’s belief that the dangers in landing and taking off would be greatly minimised because the prevailing winds blow either up or down the channel. A'study of the requirements for a marine airport, as set out in a British remit to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, suggests that this typ<s of airport could be created in the Upper Harbour with a minimum of expense and labour. “ I would also like to draw attention to the fact that one of the drawbacks sometimes associated with flying boat travel in the past—that of handling passengers and freight when the strength of the wind was such that the machine could not berth at the old type of floating pier—had been eliminated by a new kind of floating dock which is both practical and cheap. These devices are being used at thp new base at Southampton. A terminal could be established on the harbour towards the Anderson's Bay inlet. All the necessary landing facilities, said Mr .Clarke, could easily be provided there, and the centre of the city would not be further away than a 10-minute run by motor car. Paying Proposition No point in the South Island was more suitable or situated more conveniently as a distributing centre than the Otago Harbour for it could serve not only .Canterbury, the West Coast and Central Otago, but also Southland. Flights to Queenstown, Wanaka, and the Western Sounds would be possible, and Mr Clarke considered these would soon become a paying business proposition.