ALEXANDRA AIR SERVICE WHEN RUNWAY COMPLETED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26957, 17 December 1948, Page 4

ALEXANDRA AIR SERVICE WHEN RUNWAY COMPLETED

As soon as a new air strip is completed, providing a runway of 3600 feet on the terrace at Alexandra, above the railway line about halfway between Clyde and Alexandra, an air service between Dunedin and Alexandra will be run with Dominie aircraft. This statement was made yesterday by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Jones, to a deputation from the Otago Air Development Committee and representatives of Central Otago local bodies.

Asked by the Minister to give an indication when this strip would be ready, the acting Public Works Engineer at Dunedin, Mr R. Simmers, said that the necessary meteorological data had been accumulated, and the Dunedin office had sought a ruling on the lay-out of the strip from the head office of the department at Wellington. He thought that the strip could be completed before next June. . -

Mr Jones promised the. deputation that he would approach the Public Works Department in an endeavour to expedite the work. At his request, Mr Simmers said that a final decision about the two subsidiary strips required at Alexandra would not be available until next June, as weather records extending over 12 months were required before the position of the runways could be determined. The taking of readings began last June. Mr Simmers added that work on the construction of a temporary air strip adjoining the proposed main runway at Alexandra was to be done by the Alexandra Borough Council, assisted by the Civil, Air branch of the Public Works Department. The woi'k required was to remove a little roughness tty about a week’s grading, followed by some rolling. The work would take about three weeks, given the required plant. Mr Jones said that he would endeavour to expedite the work.

The Minister read the report by Sir Frederick Tymms on Alexandra, and said that the planning of the National Airways Corporation had always provided that a service to Alexandra would be operated, but at present there was no aerodrome there suitable for Dominie aircraft. A total of 685 acres had been set aside at Alexandra, last year for an aerodrome, and Sir 1 Frederick Tymms was favourably disposed towards the site. The Public Works Department was testing the winds at present, and had found that it was necessary to alter the direction of the runways. This all took time, but when there was a strip at Alexandra suitable for Dominies, there would be an air service. That was as far as he would go at present. The Tymms report said that Alexandra’s new site would provide the greatest safety for National Airways schedule flights, and for taxi or charter flights to other parts of Central Otago. If aero clubs were given the right to operate taxi services, together with other people, in other parts of Central Otago to which the National Airways Corporation would not take a service, Mr Jones said. Central Otago and Dunedin would be well served.

Mr Jones reminded the deputation that a grant of £2OO had been made to the Alexandra Borough Council to allow it to lay down an air strip large enough for Dominies. Once that strip was ready, although three ’were provided for in the layout of the aerodrome. it might meet immediate requirements. When the present tests were completed, and the site for the main permanent' strip was established, it would be possible to operate a Dun-edin-Alexandra service. He could not say whether it would be a triangular service, Dunedin-Alexandra-Invercar-gill-Alexandra-Dunedin, or whether it would be confined to Dunedin and Alexandra.

The Minister agreed with Sir Frederick Tymms that there should be taxi or contract services in the summer to other parts of the Lakes district, but he was not certain whether a full service would be advisable in the winter. That could be investigated from the point of , view of the financial success of the flights. A restricted service might he flown in the winter.

There was a suggestion that there should be an aerodrome at Roxburgh linked with, the national service. The Minster said he did not think National Airways would have a service to Roxburgh. which was only about 14 miles by air from Alexandra. Whether the Public Works Department would have one in conjunction with its operations at Coal Creek was another matter. The Minister said that he intended to visit the site at Alexandra over the holidays, and he agreed to a suggestion bv Mr J. McK. Morgan, representing the Maniototo County Council, that he should also look at aerodrome sites in other parts of Central Otago In aniwer to a question by Mr A. S. Falconer, a member of the deputation, whether the Alexandra service would have to wait until the Invercargill aerodrome was exterided before Dominie aircraft could be released. Mr Jones said that one or two Dominies were spare at the moment, but one at least had to be kept free to allow the others to be serviced. . Mr Falconer went on to say that what the recent conference at Alexandra wanted was that a service should be started. It did not matter whether it included a triangular run to Invercargill from Aleandra, but he preferred that the business links between Dunedin and Central Otago should be maintained, rather than that Central Otago people should go to Invercargill. He did not want to be parochial, but he felt that he should watch Dunedin’s interests.

Mr Falconer added that a suggestion had been made by the Director of Civil Aviation, Sir Leonard Isitt. that Timaru should be made the terminal for a Central Otago air. service. That idea was repugnant to the people of Dunedin. The speaker added that it was felt by all present at the meeting at Alexandra that the provision of landing grounds to provide a reasonable service in Central .Otago should be the responsibility of the Government. It was unreasonable that other bodies should do so when the Government might subsequently take over the aerodromes. Mr Morgan said that Ranfurly was close to the Taieri, and a landing strip might be established there in case of tug at the Taieri. . Another member of the deputation, Mr M. S. Myers, said that a passengerfreight service to Central Otago, with accommodation for six to eight passengers, would meet with the needs of the district.