MORE MODERN DEFENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 7

MORE MODERN DEFENCE

WORK OF STRENGTHENING CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BUILDINGS. BOTH WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND LANDING GROUND IMPROVEMENTS By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The decision of the Government to strengthen the coast defence of the Dominion in a plan to modernise in equipment certain branches of the Defence Department make necessary the erection of barracks at Fort Dorset, Wellington. The tenders board of the Public Works Department is calling tenders for the erection of these barracks. The Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, stated to-day that it was proposed to erect a building at Fort Dorset sufficiently large to accommodate a fair number of single men of the permanent personnel of the defence forces. A building of the kind had been long needed. Further work for the improvement of the coastal defences of Auckland was commenced to-day, when a start was made at the Narrow Neck camp with earthwork for a number of new buildings. It is understood Narrow Neck is to be one of the anti-aircraft bases for protection against the possibility of hostile aircraft attacking Auckland, and that modern equipment will eventually be installed there.

Tenders are now being called for the erection of three buildings in reinforced concrete, these being a gun park, a store and office building and an oil store.

Extensive improvements at the Hobsonville air base, following the decision of the Defence Department to develop this, area as one of the major bases of the Dominion, are now being carried on with all possible speed. The main improvements are the levelling and extension of the landing ground. Other work in progress is the erection of three two-storeyed residences for additional officers. A tender has been let for the erection of ten six-roomed cottages for the accommodation of married airmen. It is understood that the cost of the ten cottages will be about £lO,OOO. Another structure for which tenders have been received is a large barracks building for the accommodation of the single airmen who are now housed in temporary hutments. The barracks will probably cost £lO,OOO or more.