AIR DEFENCES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19882, 8 March 1939, Page 14

AIR DEFENCES

EXPENDITURE OF £241,218 BUILDING- OF HANGARS (Special to the Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. An indication of the extent of aerial defence activities in New Zealand is given in the latest issue of the Gazette, which publishes details of tenders accepted recently by the Public Works Department for the construction of 'buildings at three Air Force stations —Wigram, Hobsonville and Wnenuapai. The total value of eight tenders accepted is £241,218. The biggest contract is for the construction of two hangars for the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Whenuapai, near Auckland. This aerodrome is nearing completion, and tlie two hangars arc to cost £153,080. The contractor is Mr. R. A. Cornish. The contracts involve work at Wigram costing £56,320. The most costly item is the construction of two hangars, for which the tender of the contractor, P. Graham and Son, Limited, was £33,175. The building of two dormitory blocks is costing £4995, the contractors being Messrs. Hannah and Dyer. Another contract at Wigram is for the construction of a temporary hangar and annexe at a cost of £10,727. The contractor is Mr. R. D. T. Hall. Two other contracts for work at Wigram involve the construction of a store by 33. Moore and Sons, Limited, at a cost of £6695, and the building of a lubricant store by N. McGillivray and Son at a cost of £774.

Two contracts have been signed for work at Slobsonville costing nearly £33,000. One contract is for the erection of a temporary timber hangar and annexe costing £11,255, the builder being Mr. J. R. Simpson. The other contract is -for the construction of two stores at a cost of £20,557, the contractor being the Liddle Construction Company, Limited.