H—37

Works Services With the one exception of Wigram Aerodrome, all Air Force stations are occupied or used to varying degrees by civil aviation, which naturally introduces complex problems of joint control. This policy is necessary by virtue of the economies arising from the joint use of the airfields and their facilities. It is practicable up to the point when conflicting Air Force and civil aviation interests and the increase of air traffic cause inconvenience to both, and delays in the flow of traffic. It is essential that these factors should be thoroughly examined in the course of long-term planning for aviation in New Zealand. This applies particularly to the case of Whenuapai, Auckland, which aerodrome is the international airport as well as the city airport for Auckland, in addition to being the most important station in the Air Force. The R.N.Z.A.F. facilities at Mechanics Auckland, and the Air Training Corps.Camp at Paraparaumu have recently been closed and buildings declared surplus. All National Patriotic Fund Board buildings and equipment remaining on stations in New Zealand were purchased by the R.N.Z.A.F. They are now controlled by the Air Force .and occupied by the Y.M.C.A. organization. While the standard of public works maintenance has been high, there is considerable leeway in the form of modifications and improvements necessary to bring Service establishments up to acceptable peacetime standards. As part of a long-term rebuilding plan, three airmen's barrack blocks have now been transferred from Ardmore to Te Rapa. With the exception of four houses at Woodbourne, no permanent married quarters have been erected on Air Force stations since 1939. This shortage of housing is detrimental both to recruiting and the retention in the Service of much-needed trained personnel. Some alleviation has been afforded by the conversion to temporary accommodation of surplus buildings, and to date thirty flats have been completed. Organization At the commencement of World War II the newly constituted R.N.Z.A.F. was in the process of being developed and expanded on the Cochrane Plan, which was approved by Parliament in December, 1936, in implementation of its policy on air defence. During the war developments in technical equipment and in administration dictated many organizational and technical changes in the future structure and administration of Air Forces. These matters have continued to be examined by a special Post-war Planning Committee, and changes are being incorporated where necessary. In the course of these changes, administrative orders and publications require almost complete revision. Work is proceeding on the compilation of a Manual of Air Force Orders and Regulations. The four thousand Air Department orders existing at the end of the war have been consolidated and reduced to approximately three hundred, and other categories of orders are being similarly reviewed. The object of this work is to produce an effective system of regulations and orders for the administration of the Air Force. Education The formation of the Education Branch of the R.N.Z.A.F., which is recognized as a "" post-primary school " in terms of the Education Regulations and as a staffing commitment by the Education Department, will greatly strengthen the educational services within the Air Force. Adequate educational and vocational training staff and facilities are essential to the efficiency of the R.N.Z.A.F., and particularly to its element of shortservice personnel.

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