LITTLE PROGRESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1080, 18 September 1930, Page 14

LITTLE PROGRESS

PROPOSED AIRPORT FOR AUCKLAND NO FINANCIAL PROSPECTS Though the majority of local bodies are convinced that Auckland should have a first-class airport, they are cf opinion that it is a matter for the Government or private enterprise. The City Council’s scheme to establish an airport at a cost of £50,000, 53 per cent, of which was to be supplied by the council, the remaining 47 per cent, being allocated among various city and suburban local bodies, received little advancement at the adjourned conference of local bodies in the Town Hall last evening. Delegates from 12 local bodies attended, the Auckland Aero Club also being represented. The Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, presided. NO MONEY PROMISED Apart from those represented at the meeting last evening, 14 replies were received from other local bodies. Three had decided to take no action and the remainder would not commit themselves to any expenditure, stating that the matter was one that should be taken up by the Government or private enterprise.

Mr. J. Dempsey, chairman of the Works Committee of the City Council, opened the discussion by outlining the advantages that would be secured by the establishment of an airport. Finance would be the greatest stumbling block. Mr. Dempsey then moved that the form of control be a board on similar lines to a harbour board; but preferably without increasing the number of existing boards. The Manukau County Council delegate said that his council supported the proposals. He urged that a special and distinct board should control the airport and the personnel could be made up of delegates from the contributing bodies. The Onehunga Borough Council said that the Government should bear twothirds of the cost and the remainder should be borne by the ratepayers. The Mount Eden delegate said his council was of the opinion that the ratepayers should be consulted. The Mount Albert Borough thought it a matter for the Government. On behalf of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. G. R. Hutchinson said it was interested only in seaplanes. Mr. Spencer Mason, president of the Auckland Aero Club, said it was idle to expect the Government to do anything, and, without landinggrounds, commercial aviation would not develop. IMPROVING HOBSONVILLE

“Now that military training has been curtailed and the Government has put a large sum of money into land at Hobsonville, they might turn that liability into an asset,” said Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, who said that the nucleus of an excellent airport was already at hand. On being put, the motion for the formation of a board was supported by jhe Onehunga Borough Council, the Manukau County Council, the Mount Wellington Road Board, the Mount Eden Borough Council and the City Council. It was opposed by the Waitemata County Council, the Newmarket and Mount Albert Borough Councils and the Mount Roskill Road Board. It was also decided that those local bbdies in favour of the proposal should appoint delegates to a committee to go into the question of promoting legislation to facilitate the carrying out of the scheme.