THEY SAW AHEAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 96, 26 August 1942, Page 2

THEY SAW AHEAD

HEAVIER-TIIAN-AIR CRAFT

COMPANY FORMED IN WAIIII

"The question of aerial navigation has of recent years created enormous interest in both the scientific anl commercial worlds and scientists have given it as their opinion that it is only a matter ol lime 11 vat will enable men to travel as .safely through the ai" as on the water; the inventor confidently believes that the time has now arrived." 'i lie above words formed part of the prospectus ol the New Zealand Airship Development Company, Limited, published and issued at Waihi on August 12, 1910, years ago. A surprising degree of airmindedness was displayed in Waihi in those early days, all the promoters of the company, except one, and all the provisional directors, being well known citizens of Waihi. I The objects for which the company was established were principally "to acquirc and take over all the right, title and interest of Horace Norgrcve, of Takapuna, master mariner, in an invention of an airship, or aeroplane, on the heavier-than-air principle, together with all the patent and other rights of the inventor in respect of his invention*: to take over and adopt an agreement dated July 23, 1910, and made between the inventor of the one part and Rhys Mason Waiters of Taihape, agent, and the following Waihi citizens, namely Dawson Donaldson, boot importer, Henry Douglas Morpeth, town clerk. Ernest Alexander McLeay, bootmaker, John McGregor, grocer, Thomas Sargent Pearse, medical practitioner, Norman Warren, clothier, and John Newdick, baker, of the other part; to construct working or other models of t.ha invention; to acquire and manufacture aeroplanes, airships and other machines and contrivances for floating or flying in the air. The capital of the company was £10.000, divided into 2000 shares of £5 each. To the inventor were allotted 1000 shares, and to the promoters, between them, 250 shares, all fully :iaid. The remaining 750 shares were offered to the public for sub-

scription. Among the statements contained in the prospectus -was this note of confidence: "The inventor is confident that Jiis invention is a solution, and the only solution so far discovered, of the difficulties to be overcome in aerial navigation but this can only be' demonstrated to the. world and the full reward of the invention earned, by the construction of a working model of sufficient size and power." Unfortunately for all concerned, however, the hopes of the inventor, nnd the promoters did not reach fruition and the company died in in-fan-i'y without having made an.v material contribution to the development of aviation. Only tAVO cr three members of the company are alive to-day, but. they, no doubt, will experience some degree of satisfaction at having occupied a place in the vanguard of aerial navigation.