AVIATION

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 27, 28 November 1929, Page 4

AVIATION

USE OF GEAR ISLAND,

LOCA t BRANCH: ■ CLTJB FORMED. 1

An enthusiastic meeting of those in.-.-forested in -tlic. formation of a oeal flying , elivb -was' held last Thursday ovening. -Jtfr..'A.. W. Nisbet presided and -extended a Avjclcomc to Mr. MeArthur and" b't-her inembors of the Wellington, Aero Club who were present. He,sard that after 'the exp*feTience of Rongotai during : the recent 'pa-gent,' it was found that tho. ground was hot suitable for training flyers and- .whilst it w.aa quite hopeless -to think''of'form-

■ing n club solely- fbv "the Hufct Valley he thought/ ; a arrangpai^nt. eo>ii'd-!--)>iB;!:iiom-c." f '';J'or'"sov'tliat one • (•..onlcl ]ixi \f ormerl in•'.'.conjunction., "vyith the "'Wellingfton-'.' Olub. He had visited 'Stnr v Island in company wit-h JWing-Coni-mande'jf Gifeit-Dalton and others £>nvl all-thougli't that, if tlie Islanrl ooultl be' secured it.would, injajke an excel! -?nt training ground jfor both centres, -z.-l.ii

yiewiof thei-'.fa'ef'. that Board was at present ectiiSideriiig th.& letting of the islandj, the opportunity should not be lost* of sccuriiig it "for aviarion.

Mr. Eawnsley considered that; *here was little doubt that a niaehine could he s^cujredffdrf t:heV~Jdlub 's usa immediately. The. matter of trainings pilots could, be"-easiiy , overcome by sending planes, over ifrom ;3Rpirgotatr w-hich was only ~a five:^ ■minutes fly. It was ?>bso-, lutely essential-to work in conjunction with Wellington/ but the .difficulty might be to secure Gear Island. lie also pointed out that the Kiver Soard would not consider, .the/ application of a tenant who did not have a strong financial Hacking.. \

. On the motion-of Mr. it was decided to set up,a committoe to wait on the Minister, cf Defence and also on the local bodies and to obtain .their views on tlie matter. -

Messrs "iSTisbet, Goodwirij. and Leigib.ton were elected^to form' the committee and later it-wasvdeeided that the Well-;, ington. Aero Club, be asked to' add more names:. • '-, .

Wheji' the question o? -the foxma'ion of a - local club was under discussion, the general opinion- was expressed "hy prospective menifceTs," thai; th^ey were only" interested in the: club so long as it was affiliated with the Wellington ,Club and VtMt Gear Island could be secured for the purpose.' : It was pointed out by the; speakers that' this was not t-aking- a parpC'hjal view, but. merely thai they would- riot have, the to deyQte to flying if tliey ..had fo travel a disfa.nce-to fseetvre it. -: . >; On the understandiß.g that , -hose conditions could be v secured it was oecidied to form a local .'"branch-:' of:■ the Wellington Aero Club ana. a large number of provisional" enrolment, .Tovms were sighed. ; / It was decided to make an. appeal for honorary members in addition to flying members as it'>was :by this means that all clubs were, supportadj A further general meeting of all interested will be -held on December 2i.d to receive a report from the committee. .;'■• .:. -■'■:■ '■ .' ■'■' '.; .: