9. PR ESS Wigram intervention It was inevitable that apparent Ilth hour in Defence plans for the would attract charges decision occurring so c the Government's tervention to block disposal of Wigram of politicking, the lose to the General Biection. Yet this was an occasion on which the decision was the right and logical one, not oniy for Canterbury but for those business interests who say they need time to properly evaluate the economic viability of a civilian aviation enterprise at Wigram after it is closed by the Air Force in late 1995. Until the Government stepped in and applied the brakes, the New Zealand Defence Force and the Department of Survey and Land Information were already in the preliminary stages of the official disposal process. The private interest groups thus perceived themselves to be in a race against time, and whether the Government's motives were political or not is secondary to the fact that only the government couia direct Defence and DOSLI to slow down. Urgency was given to the decision after Defence rejected a Christchurch City Council request to lease Wigram from the NDF, thus preserving the defence designation on the 247ha site at Sockburn. The council's fear, and the fears of all groups trying to save the base, is that once the disposal process passes a point of no return, the land will be divided among 29 potential claimants, each of whom would own a slice of Wigram's new $4.5 million runway. Ur Morgan raney, co-chairman of the City Council's Wigram committee, said it would be impossible to operate Wigram as an airfield if the city had to negotiate with 29 different landowners. Defence has argued that it has no authority to take local interests into consideration when disposing of its surplus land. A Government direction requires the military to quit any redundant bases to reduce operating costs, and to obtain the best possibie return to generate funding for other Defence projects. The MP for Seiwyn. Miss Ruth Richardson, took a high profile in the announcement of the Government's decision. and there are curious elements about the matter t explained. Miss Rich that Cabinet had earlier to override I an official viability s conducted by a bu Wigram, established earlier this year. Ye the task force. whic hat have vet to be lardson said on Friday decided two weeks Defence and authorise study on Wigram, to be siness task force on 1 by Miss Richardson it neither Defence nor •h met on Friday, had been made aware parties were astoni news media of an im two weeks earlier. Miss Richardson oi the decision. Both Shed to be told by the portant decision made • said the Minister of Detence, Mr Cooper, will write to the Mayor of Christchurch, indicating an intention to initiate the task force's study on the best options for the base. She also said the Minister of Lands, Mr Storey, would advise his department not to advertise the disposal options for Wigram, points that give some credence to suggestions that this was poliey being made on the run. Whatever the motive, it is the decision Canterbury needs at the moment: a vital breathing space. Wigram's forthcoming closure, in December 1995, will have a severe financial impact on the region. A report to the coune in August predicted the loss of more than 1000 full-time jobs and financial losses, both direct and indirect, of more than $100 million a year. At a time when Canterbury is visibly leading the nation's economic recovery, the loss of Wigram as an employment and income generating centre would be catastrophic. All the more need then for civilian interests to be working now to ensure a smooth transition of the base from military to civilian control. The city council, plus various interest groups including the Wigram Consortium, have worked long hours behind the scenes pulling together business interests that see the base as an aviation, recreation and educational facility. Defence may not officially be permitted to aid this transi when the militar dispassionate. In disposal, glacial s organisation is al: been helpful. tion, but there are times y's efficiency can be too . the matter of Wigram's peed, which the military so capable of, would have There is possibly the Government felt some positive public debacle. The Air Forc out of spite. It is clo of ongoing Defenc another reason why it necessary to draw ity from the Wigram ce did not quit Wigram sing the base because e budget cuts and government call: within its reduce day, the RNZAF with one suppor to relocate Wigr bourne and Ok approved this entirely appropr nouid now be : canterbury to of s for the military to live ed means. At the end of the decided it could mane do i base, and it was cheaper ram's functions to Woodhakea. The Government measure. It is therefore iate that the Government ... seen to do something for ffset that move.