11-8-93 13-8-93 Wig ram CIO sing risks 1000 ANTERBURY'S economy will probably lose more than / 1000 full-time jobs irom the closing of Wigram Air Base, says a report to the Christchurch City Council. Losses, both direct and indirect, could reach more tran $100 million annually, the report says. It based this figure on Wigram losing its air force work but becoming the centre for activities that had been done elsewhere in the region, without attracting new business from other areas. Projections of losses, contained in a letter from Mr Dick Shelton of the New Zealand Charters Ltd consortiur, of Christchurch, are five times that previously reported. The group has plans to develop an aviation training and technology centre at Wigram. The council last night confirmed recommendations by its RNZAF Base sub-committee, to try to retain the defence designation on the 247ha complex and to have the land leased to the city for aviation development. It decided the council should work towards retaining Wigram for aviation, recreational, and educational purposes. The sub-committee's report said that once the base was declared surplus to the RNZAF's requirements on January 1, 1996, those parts of the base compulsorily purchased under the Public Works Act for defence needs would have to be offered back to the first generation of descendants of the previous owners. Up to 29 parcels of land could be invoived, most of which cut across the airfield. The council shouid act to ensure that Wigram was not fragmented and that some degree of certainty was provided as to the possibility of flying, it said. This should allow interested jobs By PETER MATHIAS posals for future aviation use of the base. The council reconstituted its Wigram sub-committee and gaye it power to establish a task force - comprising representatives of the RNZAF, the council, the Department of Survey and Land Information, and the Ngai Tahu Maori Trust Board - to pursue plans for the base. The trust board has indicated an interest in acquiring the base. Mr Shelton's projected losses were based on figures contained in a report commissioned from a Christchurch consulting economist, Mr Geoffrey Butcher. His report said the closing of the base would lead to the loss of 350 full-time staff at the base. By incorporating data on the base's activities into economic impact models for the Canterbury economy, was calculated • a further 490 jobs in the region would be lost as an indirect consequence of the closing. The figures did not include the 500 trainees at the base each year. The report said future development of the base might off-set some or all of these losses. Mr Shelton said the 840 projected job losses and the annual loss to the regional economy of $90 million were based on an analysis of the RNZAF's 1992-93 budget of $37 million. This was $7 million less than its budget in 1990-91 and 1991-92 and the impact on the regional economy was therefore greater than that determined by Mr Butcher's analysis of the 1992-93 budget. It was fair to assume that based on the 1990-91 budget the Canterbury economy would lose more than 1000 jobs and $100 million Verstappen UTCH driver, Jos Verstappen, awno visited New sealand for last season's Peter Jacksen Series, has won the Marlboro Masters of Formula 3 event at his home circuit of Zandvoort. The race, effectively a one-off European championship event, was watchea by a record crowd of 56,000 spectators. They saw the 21-year-old verstappen take command from pole position and head , home second-place man, Italian Paulo. Coloni, by 2.6 seconds. Verstappen, whose future iooked a little bleak after his crash at Wigram, said after the race. "My first lap was super. I had no problems afterwards and I think my race was completely ciean technically as well." Verstappen has now beer offered a Formula One contract for next season, but does not wish to disclose the team yet. Zandvoort 20-8 - 93 SI Peter Jackson rescheduled aes Suntmers Peter Jack on next summer's Peter Jackson series have been rescheduled, allaying fears that any overseas competitors would have to wait around for two weeks between the two Atlantic/Libre rounds at Timaru and Wigram. The more sensible programme noW reads: Teretonga, January 8 and 9; Timaru, January 15 and 16; and Wigram, January 22 and 23. 21-8-93 Base at By DAVE WILSON The possibility of Wigram being used as a training base for the Singapore Air Force has been raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Moore. He discussed Wigram's future use with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr B. G. Lee, during a week-long visit to Singapore. Mr Moore said Mr Lee was interested in the idea and indicated he would discuss it with Singapore's Minister of Defence and defence officials. A spokesman from the Chief of Defence Forces' office in Wellington said yesterday there had been no formal approach about Wigram from Singapore or the Singaporean Air Force. tracts Si The Wigram Consortium, which is developing a plan for private use of Wigram, said it would welcome a contract to train pilots for the Singapore Air Force. A consortium spokesman, Mr Robert Davidson, said the Singapore Air Force already contracted its basic jet training to Western Australia, and if a contract for basic pilot training was available, it would be an attractive prospect for Wigram. Mr Moore said he would approach the Minister of Defence, Mr Cooper, next week to advise him of the Singaporean interest. "Mr Lee thought a working group should look at Wigram. 1 don't see a problem in a foreign air force doing some training ngapore here, so long as they're not nuclear." Mr Moore said he was aware of substantial Singaporean investment in New Zealand. Mr Davidson said the Wigram Consortium's plans allowed for such training, and agreements with the owners of the Timaru and Oamaru airports meant training could also be done there. The Royal New Zealand Air Force is due to vacate the base by the end of 1995, and the Christchurch City Council is negotiating with the Government on future use of the 247ha complex. The council wants Defence to retain ownership but lease the site back to the city for private aviation-related uses.