An Airport for Wellington : Factors Influencing the Development of The
Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author.
Massey University Library
AN AIRPORT FOR
WELLINGTON
FACTORS INFLUENCING Tiffi DEVELOPMENT OF TIIE
WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
ATRONGOTAI
A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Philosophy in History at Massey University.
G. E. Wood.
Palmerston North, 1994. CONTENTS
PAGE
ACKNO \VLEDG~1ENTS
.. ABBREVJA. TIO~S ll
ILLUSTRATIONS IV
CHAPTER
1 Introduction 1
2 Early Days of Aviation 1911to1936 5
3 The 193 7 Developmnent Proposals 25
4 \Vartime and Post War Developments
to Late 1948. 46
5 Developments from Late 1948 to
September 1950 72
6 1950 to the Opening of the Wellington
International Airport, 1959 99
7 Conclusion 121
NOTES 126
BIBLIOGRAPHY 156 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank my supervisor, Dr. James Watson for his many helpful suggestions made throughout my investigation of this topic. I must also thank the staff of the National Archives in Wellington for their assistance in retrieving files, to the staff of the Turnbull Library and the Wellington City Library for access to microfilms of newspapers, and the of the Wellington City Council for giving me access to the minutes of the City Council Airport Committee. Thanks are also due to the Department of History which provided assistance with transport expenses to Wellington. 11
ABBREVIATIONS
A.F.C. Air Force Cross
AfHR Appendices to the Journals of the House of
Representatives
A.M.I.Ae.E Associate Member of the Institute of Aeronautical
Engineers
A.M. I.C.E. Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
B.Sc.C.Eng. Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
C.A.A. Civil Avia ti on Administration
C.B. Companion of the Bath
C.B.E. Commander of the Order of the British Empire
C.M.G. Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
D.S.O. Distinguished Service Order
F.R.Ae.S. Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Flt. Lt. Flight Lieutenant
Hon. Honourable
LC.AO. International Civil Avia ti on Organisation
K.B.E. Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
K.C.l.E. Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
L.M.(U.S.) Legion of Merit, of the United States of America
M.C. Military Cross
M.I.C.E. Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers
M.M. Military Medal
M.O.W. Ministry of Works ill
i\11.N.Z.l.E. Member of the New Zealand Institute of Engineers
M.N.Z.l.S. Member of the Institute of Smveyors
M.P. Member of Parliament
NAC New Zealand National Airways Corporation
NZPD New Zealand Parliamentary Debates
O.B.E. Officer of the Order of the British Empire
P. and 0. Peninsular and Orient (Shipping) Line
P. W.D. Public Works Department
PAR Precision Approach Radar
R. N. Z.A.F. Royal New Zealand Air Force
Sqd.Ldr. Squadron Leader
STOL Short Take Off and Landing
TEAL Tasman Empire Air Lines
VTOL Vertical Take Off and Landing
WArc. National Archives, Wellington
W.C.C. Wellington City Council
W.H.B. Wellington Harbour Board
WingCdr. Wing Commander IV
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Page 6 Arthur Shaefs New Zealand Vogel at Wellington - from Rende~ David, Civil Aviation In New Zealand, An Illustrated History , p.6, attributed to the Auckland Weekly News. (In New Zealand Heritage, Volume 5, p. 2080, Alexander attributes this picture to A. N. Breckon.) Page 7 Supetmarine Channel G NZAI on Wellington Harbour after the flight from Auckland - from Rendel, David, Civil Aviation in Ne·w Zealand - A n Illustrated History, p.18, Wellington 1975. Page 9 Wellington Airport at Rongotai in the late 1920's - Rendel p. l 00. (courtesy of George Rooker) Page 14 Rongotai Aerodrome from the Air - Evening Post, 22 December, 1932, p.9. Page 15 Wellington Chamber of Commerce proposals - Dominion, 26 September, 1934, p.7. Page 20 Plan showing Pattern of Turbulence at Rongotai, Wellington City Council, from Public Works Department file, W Arc., Wl, 23/381/18 partl, Rongotai Aerodrome Extension 1934-1937. Page 21 Plan showing boundaries ofRongotai 1935 and 1936, and the proposed reclamation in Lyall Bay - Dominion. 15 August, 1936. Page 22 Moth ZK-ADE approaching Rongotai airport circa 1936, Rendel p.34. Page 28 Proposed extension to be financed by loan, February, 1937. - Dominion, 23 February, 1937. Page 38 Proposals of the Rongotai Investigating Committee, February, 1938. - Public Works Department file, W Arc., Wl, 23/381/18/2 Rongotai Aerodrome Commission 1937-1939. Page 43 Wellington Territorial Squadron, R.N.Z.A.F. at Rongota~ June, 1938. - Brochure and Official Programme for the Opening of Wellington Airport, p.35, Wellington 1959. Page 44 Street map prepared by the Wellington City Electricity Department showing the location of the airport in June, 1939. - Public Works Department file, W Arc., Wl 23/381/18 part 2, Rongotai Aerodrome Extension, 1937-1939. Page 48 No. 42 Transport Squadron, R.N.Z.A.F. - Programme for the Opening of WellingtonAirport, p.41. Page 53 Post War Passenger Handling Facilities at Rongotai. - Programme for the Opening of Wellington Airport, p.43. Page 54 Plan of proposed aerodrome prepared by the W.C.C. Engineer. - W.C.C. Airport Conunittee minutes, July 1946. v
Page 55 Passenger lounge at Paraparaumu Airport showing quality of furnishings, Keith, Hamish, New Zealand Yesterdays, A look at our recent past, p.250, Sydney 1984. Page 70 Photograph of Rongotai and the surrounding area with proposed four stage development superimposed,. from Wellington City Council Airport Committee minutes. Page 88 Public Works Department plan based on the City Engineers proposals showing the reclamation required and the houses to be removed. WArc., W18, P,W.D.130010, Plan ofRongotai Airport. Page 95 Evans Bay Flying Boat base -Dominion 28 September, 1950. Page 100 Salek Street site and the newly proposed runway centred on Rongotai Terrace. - Dominion 27 September, 1950. Page 103 An aerial view of the airport site before construction, -Photo News Ltd., reproduced in Roberts, J. S., 'Wellington Airport, The City Council Responsibilities,' in New Zealand Engineering Vol, 16, p.326. Wellington 1961. Page 117 Tiger Moth factory subsequently converted into the terminal building - Rende~ p.126, (courtesy of R. Davis-Goff). Page 118 Wellington Airport from a northerly angle, showing the position of its main features, Programme for the Opening of Wellington Airport, p.13. Page 119 Air force Vulcan clipping the runway at the airport opening air pageant, Keith, p.63. Page 119 Drawing of the airport looking south from Evans Bay. Annual Report of the Ministry of Works, AJHR, Volume Ill, 1959, Dl, P.22.