CLUBS FEDERATED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 45, 22 February 1930, Page 10

CLUBS FEDERATED

GRIEVANCES TALKED OVER

CLEARING THE AIR

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening post.")

BLENHEIM, This Day

The first fully representative conference of aero clubs held in the Dominion took place at Blenheim last night. The chief purpose of the gathering was the formation of an association of civil aviation authorities. The following re-gularly-constituted clubs in New Zealand were represented: Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Blenheim, Hawkes Bay, Wair;irapa, New Plymouth, Hawera, Wanganui, and Southland. The president of. the Marlborough Club (Mr. H. R. Dix) was voted to the chair. In addition to the club delegates, Wing-Cominander S. GrantDalton, Director of Air Services, representing the Defence Department, and Flight-Lieutenant M. W. Buckley O.C. Wigram aerodrome, were present.

Mr. Dix accorded a hearty welcome to Blenheim to the delegates, describing the occasion as one of the most important in the history of the aviation clubs of the Dominion. Mr. Speuce (New Plymouth) replied on behalf of the visitors, and congratulated the Marlborough Aero Club upon having taken the initiative in calling the conference. Tho conference then proceeded to deal with remits, numbering nineteen, from five different clubs. PARENT CLUB FORMED. The first remit was in effect that an association, to be known as the New Zealand Aero Clubs' Association, be set up, the representation being two members for each club, with the Diree-' tor of Air Services as a member. Sir Francis Boys (Canterbury) pointed out that about twelve months ago a conference of a less formal and- representative character was held in Auckland, at which Auckland and Canterbury alone were represented. It was then agreed that an association should be formed, and a draft constitution was prepared. The idea then was that a . New Zealand club should be formed which ultimately should become affiliated with the Koyal Aero Club of Great Britain. He moved: "That a committee be set up to frame a constitution for an association to bo known as the New Zealand Aero Club, the constitution to be submitted to v further conference to be called by the committee." This was carried, and it was agreed that the committee constituted by tho resolution should consist of three memb.ers —one for each island, and the third nominated by the Marlborough club. Mr. G. M. Spence, (North Island), Sir Francis Boys (South Island), and Mr. H. B. Dix (Marlborough) were then elected. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. The adoption of the following Marlborough remit was moved by Mr. MacDonald: "That this conference appoiut a committee to approach tho Government, to point out that, although the Aero Club movement has been in existence only one year, there is already a tendency on the part of the Government to curtail the concessions upon which tho clubs were constituted, i.e., tho withdrawal of the subsidy for lady members and male members over the age of 30; tho refusal to recondition crashed Government planes; tho reluctance of the, department to supply the.clubs with necessary spares, etc.; the refusal of the department to import planes at cost price.

On behalf of tho clubs, the mover mentioned that, although the Government originally offered the clubs £25 for every trainee to reach the "A" ticket status, in receut mouths it had announced that the subsidy would not bo payable on lady pilots -and only on male pilots between the ages of 17 and 30.. It was also at lirst ■agreed that club planes damaged during normal operations would , be replaced by tbo.' Government, biit tliere were now indications that the Government was not prepared to continue that policy. These were serious matters for the clubs and upset their finances. As to spares, tho Wigram Aerodrome carried certain supplies,, and it was felt that the clubs should be able to draw on these- instead of having to rely on the agents, whose prices might not bo on a par with those of the department. PURCHASE OF PLANES. In regard to the purchase of new planes, the local club had been advised that it must deal with the local agent of the machine wanted, as the department was not prepared to import machines and hand them over to the clubs at cost price. It was considered an. unfair imposition that clubs subsidised by tho Government should have to pay an agent anything up to £200 above tho imported cost of a plane. DIRECTOR'S REPIiY. "Half of this, in. my opinion, is not true," said Wing-Commander GrantDalton when he was invited to < refer to the matter. He said that the Government subsidised clubs because of tho great assistance they could be for defence purposes. That was the idea underlying the agreement between tho Government and the clubs, although it might not be clear from its wording. In his opinion the agreement was poorly drafted, .and far from explicit. However, he was sure tho , agreement did not contemplate including lady pilots and fellows of 50. "We take it that the war will not come for ten years or so," he said, "and pilots over 40 now will not be of much use ten years hence. It is only fair that the Government should pay merely for what it will get in exchange.". Turning to the next point raised, Wing-Commander Grant-Dalton said that he had not heard where the re^ fusal to recondition crashed 'planes came. from. The Department had a big number of Moth spares on order, but practically none at Wigram. The last spare wing was given to an'aero club, and the damaged Air Force machines bad to carry on as best they could. That answer explained any delay in effecting repairs, and any seeming reluctance to . supply spares. The speaker denied that he had ever refused to import 'planes on behalf of clubs. Ho might, but np to the present he had not been asked.

Keplying to a question put by Sir Francis Boys, the Director isaid the Department was still prepared to reeonditiou crashed club 'planes, provided there was no proof of the accident being to negligence.

"TOO DRASTIC."

Considering the remit too drastic, in view of the Director's explanation, Mr. Spenee (New Plymouth) moved aa an amendment: "That a committee be set up to confer with the Minister of Defence for the purpose of clearing up certain matters in doubt relating.to the agreements between approved clubs and the Department, and of having the conditions appertaining to the assistance which the Government is prepared to grant aero clubs definitely settled." This was carried.

It was decided that clubs should cooperate with the Meteorological Office with a view to having visibility scales

ilrawiv^T for each district in New Zca- * ml, v. facilitate weather reports for louriijg airmen.

COOK STEAIT CROSSING.

Wing-Commander Grant-Daltoii said, in tho course of a discussion regarding regulations governing tho crossing of Cook Strait, that this matter had been receiving his attention. He was considering making it compulsory for all 'airmen undertaking cross-country flights to advise their objective by telegram of the time of their departure, and upon arrival to report to their point of departure, the fact of their arrival. That simplo regulation would eliminate the necessity for any more elaborate system of signalling and so on, und the movements of the 'planes could be kept track of easily. INTERESTING PROPOSAL. Tho conference resolved that, with a view to (a) stimulating the recruiting of pupils, (b) maintaining the interest of pilots, and (c) conserving the benofit of training in aviation given by clubs, the Government be urged to institute some system whereby club pilots may become units in territorial flights and squadrons in the various centres, each club and its equipment being used as a nucleus. The following suggestions were offered: (a) That a flight be formed from each club, and regular instruction given by officers of tho Air Force; (b) that annual camps bo held for the ■ purpose of carrying out complete training; (c) that the suggested training be accepted in lieu of compulsory military training; (d) that each flight use its own club equipment under adequate subsidy. The Director said it was a scheme lie would very much like to get working. The remit suggested something a little larger than he had proposed, but if it went forward it would receive his recommendation. It might not be started within the next twelve months, but he thought it would come eventually.