D.—l.

Blenheim : This field has been maintained by the Department during the year, and minor improvements to the administration area carried out. A temporary radio-transmission station has been provided, and a contract has been let for a building to house the radio-receiving and direction-finding station. Motueka : No development was proceeded with during the year except for the erection of fences, top-dressing of the surface, and the removal of obstructing power and telephone lines. Takaka : The function of this field has been changed from a purely emergency field to a fullydeveloped aerodrome and, consequently, a better system of grading was adopted. Construction work is nearing completion and, to date, approximately 107,000 cubic yards of spoil, including topsoil, have been excavated and replaced. 72 acres have been levelled and graded and 42 acres sown in grass. The fencing of the field has been completed. Grassmere : This field has been maintained as a Government emergency-landing ground. Work has been in hand placing stop-banks to isolate the field from Lake Grassmere, and the work is well forward. Fencing was completed. Kekerangu: This field has been maintained as a Government emergency-landing ground. Obstructing telephone-lines have been removed and repairs effected to the surface. Clarence : A contract has been let for the levelling, grading, and grassing of this field, but work has not yet been commenced. Christchurch-Canterbury District.—Development-work has been undertaken as follows :—■ Conway : This field has been maintained as a Government emergency field. Harewood (Christchurch): 160 acres have been levelled, graded, and sown down in grass. 1,500 ft. of water-pipe, a well, and electric pump have been provided to allow for watering the heavy-traffic areas. Access roads and a concrete landing circle have been constructed. A building and aerial towers for a radio-transmission station have been erected, and tenders have been called for the building to house the radio-receiving and direction-finding apparatus. Wigram (Christchurch) : This field has been maintained and used as a commercial aerodrome, as well as functioning as an Air Force flying training school. Ashburton : Minor improvements to the surface have been carried out. Timaru : Development-work is nearing completion, and to date, approximately 192,600 cubic yards have been excavated and replaced from all sources. Otipua Stream has been diverted and stop-banked, and a large hardwood outlet culvert provided through the beach. The flying-field has been stop-banked and ring-drained to isolate it from surrounding land, and a comprehensive subsoil drainage system is nearing completion. A pumping-station to deal with surface water on the aerodrome is being placed. Approximately 50 acres have been levelled and sown in grass and are available for use, while additional areas have been levelled and will be sown down in grass next spring. Mount Cook (Birch Hill) : This field has been maintained by the Department as an aerodrome in a remote locality. Boundary markings were placed during the year. Greymouth-Westland District.—lnvestigations for suitable sites were undertaken at Jackson's Bay and Westport. Engineering surveys were carried out at Jackson's Bay, Greymouth, Westport (South Buller), and Weheka. Development-work has been undertaken as follows :— Westport (North Buller Site) : The south-west to north-east landing-strip was widened to 150 yards, and maintenance of the whole area continued throughout the year. Greymouth : No work has been undertaken to the existing field during the year, but a contract has now been let for the reclamation of an area in Karoro Lagoon to increase the available area of flying-field. A temporary radio-station has been established. Inchbonnie : This field has been maintained by the Department as an aerodrome in a remote locality. Improvements to the surface and drainage have been carried out and two windsocks provided. Hokitika : Extensions on the south side of the field have been carried out and improvements effected to the whole surface. Subsoil tile drains have been placed over portion of the field and a pumping-station installed to de-water the aerodrome after heavy rains. Exceptional floods breached the stop-banks and damaged the field. Repairs are now practically completed. A temporary radioStation is in operation, while a permanent radio-transmission station is nearing completion, and a contract has been let for the building to house the radio-receiving and direction-finding apparatus. Boss : Lhe field was ploughed and sown down in grass, but still requires attention to the surface before a license for use is issued. Wataroa : The top-dressing of the field with fine gravel was completed during the year, and the field is in use. Top-dressing with soil and grassing is still required. Waiho : This field has been maintained as an aerodrome in a remote locality. Windsocks were provided. Weheka : Minor improvements to this field were effected, but the field is very restricted in usable area. Karangarua : A temporary field was provided for immediate use by roughly levelling a restricted area of natural surface. Mahitahi (Bruce Bay) : A temporary landing-strip was provided by clearing and roughly levelling a restricted area in the river-bed. Haast : A contractor has been engaged with plant regrading and levelling this field. Poor progress has been achieved because of wet ground conditions and plant breakdowns. Upper Okuru : The main landing-strip has been regraded, crowned, and lightly shingled to provide a drier surface. The cross-landing strip still requires attention. Mussel Point: The regrading, levelling, and grassing of this field was completed during the year. Further attentions to grassing and top-dressing will be required next spring.

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