Airfields and Stations in New Zealand Used By the RNZAF, Part 1

From the North

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Te Hapua
34^ 31.2’12” S x 172^54.45’45” E

The most Northerly settlement in the North Island.

The airfield was first surveyed as an airfield in March 1936 by the Works Engineer based in Kaitaia.
There had concern that under certain conditions, an airfield that close to the sea could be a menace
as it was on the coast and accessible a potential enemy.

The “New Zealand Herald” reported on 23rd February 1939 that the Minister of Works, Bob Semple,
had visited and approved the construction of an airfield by the shore of Parengarenga Harbour.

The 100 acres was adjacent to the Te Hapua wharf, built in 1936, which would allow the transport of
aviation supplies by sea as the roads in the area were of a primitive nature.

Apart from being a colourful parliamentarian, Bob Semple was enthusiastic for regional development and
modernizing NZ’s transport networks.

The July 1936 layout 100 acres, and 2700 x 600 foot main runway and a 2100 x 750 foot wide secondary
runway had already been cut back to a more modest 20 acre development with 1500 and 1000 foot runways.

The Whangarei District Engineer,Mr Wood, had written to the Director of Air Services, Wellington,
advising that funding would only stretch to the smaller proposal and it would make a useful emergency
landing ground in a locality like this.

By June 1940 the 20 Acres near the Te Hapua wharf had had the stumps removed, been drained,
leveled and grassed. Mr Wood reported to Wellington at that time that the area had been developed
for the dual purpose of

A, providing a grassed area for the Native dairy stock,

B. as a potential emergency landing ground.

The first purpose was important as this was part of the deal the Public Works Department had struck
to obtain the land.

In another letter to the Air Services Department Mr Wood wrote: in view of the fact that 21 acres would
enable Te Hapua natives to run dairy stock and remedy the existing lack of fresh milk for adults and school
children, the Native Department agreed to find 500 pounds for labour and give the landing ground free of
compensation provided the local natives were employed and they had the right to run stock on the grassed area.

“In this manner we obtained the land and money required to develop the runway strips”

Two huts were moved from Te Paki Station to the airfield. Mr Pickens, the headmaster at Te Hapua School
was sworn into the Air Force and made “Station Commander”, He waited in vain to be told what his new
powers were and for an opportunity to use them.

Later in July 1940 Mr Wood again wrote to the Air Services Department advising that the area that will
become available for emergency use this year is not considered adequate in size for an all-type emergency
landing ground.

Air Department replied in August 1940 noting “if the landing ground is to be of any use in an emergency the
South - West, North - East landing strips should be at least 1700 feet long.

This wasn’t considered feasible [financially, operationally, or practically,] as some time later in April 1941 the
Air Department wrote again to Mr Wood instructing him to re-grass the developed area to be suitable for grazing
cattle and that “there is no likelihood of Te Hapua Aerodrome being used during the war”.

In September 1945 two of the original land owners wrote to the Public Works Department requesting that the
land be returned to them.

“For patriotic reasons we did not mind the land being taken for use as an aerodrome, but, as the war is now
finished we would be glad to have the land back as soon as possible”.

The Native Land Court was involved in the original decision to take the land for Defence purposes, and in
July 1947 ruled that the land should be offered back to the original owners, but only if they agreed to pay
for the fences that had been built on the land.

The original owners refused to pay, and it was another few months before everybody agreed that,
in lieu of rent, and in the interests of concluding the matter, the fencing should be handed over at no cost.

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