Hard to see Invercargill Airport really taking off

THE socalled Friends of Invercargill Airport ginger group, which seeks to elevate the airport to international status, is on a path to nowhere (Letters, 6.10.20).

Neil McDermott writes: ‘‘It is not if, but when, there will be flights travelling from our airport to Australia.’’

Mr McDermott’s knowledge of recent history is faulty.

Firstly, assorted booster groups and starryeyed local politicians have, for at least 25 years, touted Invercargill Airport as an international gateway. All of those efforts were in vain. No airline, Australian or otherwise, was remotely interested.

Secondly, Invercargill Airport is poorly located. Not only does the flight path cross Invercargill city, thereby posing groundlevel danger in the event of a crash, it’s floodprone.

For example, during the 1984 floods, the airport was closed for two months. A substantial floodprotection scheme was built but the airport flooded again in 1987.

It may have escaped Mr McDermott’s attention but at present the lower South Island is in the midst of an airports battle with Christchurch, Queenstown, Wanaka and Dunedin each stating their cases for and against expansion.

On top of that, we have the owners of Christchurch International Airport unveiling ambitious plans to construct a new, purposebuilt international airport at Tarras, in Central Otago.

Among much else, that plan threatens the viability of all regional airports, including Invercargill’s.

That being the case, perhaps Mr McDermott and Friends of Invercargill Airport would be better advised to turn their creative energies in a more realistic and worthwhile direction, whatever that might be.

Brent Procter

Bluff

Taieri trees

AS an angler, I fully support the planting of willow trees along the Taieri River to avoid further erosion of the riverbank (ODT, 5.10.20).

Willow removal, mostly 1020 years ago, on the Waikouaiti River about 4km upstream of Orbells Crossing bridge caused considerable erosion, sedimentation and loss of fish and insect habitat.

If hybrid willow trees had been planted promptly in suitable areas, it is almost certain sedimentation would have been far less extreme.

Mike Rawlinson

North East Valley

Vulcan ghost

RAISED in St Bathans in the 1930s, I fondly remember the Vulcan Hotel.

The Vulcan’s ghost was reputed to be the spirit of an innocent young girl drowned in the Manuherikia River. She was buried in a small cemetery at the start of Cambrian Rd.

Gold miners pursuing a rich lead obtained the permission of the court to disinter the bodies so they could excavate that area. When the girl’s coffin was exposed, it was found to be preserved, as was her body.

Upset, the diggers repaired to the pub. The St Bathans constable overruled the court and the cemetery was left alone, although sluice mining removed the surrounding land.

The nowprotruding knob, complete with fence, remains to this day. The unfortunate lass, no lady of easy virtue, now haunts the Vulcan.

But wait, there’s more! An investigating TV crew stayed in the haunted bedroom but, after things moved around and bumped in the night, made a hurried departure in the early hours.

That crew claimed there was a haunted tree (a tall poplar, now felled) about 2km up the loop road.

Every horse I rode or drove past that tree tiptoed past on the opposite side of the road and when clear practically bolted. Some presence was there.

A second St Bathans ghost? I say yes.

I note that no further TV crews have ventured to investigate.

Tom Enright

Mosgiel ...................................

BIBLE READING: Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. — Joel 2.28.