WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1917, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

FLYING. HELPING TO WIN THE, WAR (Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON November 12. Many of the visitors to the Canterbury Carnival week have k’eturned from the .South more impressed with what the saw of the Canterbury Aviation Company’s Living School at Sooklnirn than wit lithe splendid race for the New Zealand Cup at Rieearton or the line display of stock at Metropolitan show at Addington. The management of the School has been altogether too diffident iu' advertising its patriotic work and nia’ny people are under the impression that its thorough equipped establishment, which aliLadv has merely a commercial undertaking. This is very far from being the truth. The school was originally promoted by Mr. H. F. Wigram, who, long before the war, was urging from His” s oat o n the Legislative Council that the aeroplane was to play an important part in the. defence of the Empire and tlmt New Zealand ought to be preparing to take its part in this .new development. THE SCHOOL.

Mr. Wigrain failed to make .much impression upon the politicians though they all admitted the soundness of his contention and when the- war broke out and bis predictions were on the point of realisation he submitted bis scheme for the establishment ol a Hying school to the patriotic people of Canterbury. It made little appeal to the purely commercial man*, as dividends were not amongst the direct advantages it was expected to bring to the inventor, but the promoter’s enthusiasm proved infections and very soon tin 1 necessary capital to give it practical expression was available.

A block of suitable land some 130 acres in extent about seven or eight miles from Christchurch was secured and it is here the School i s now established. equipped with three hangars, radii capable of bousing three aeroplanes, a workshop, supplied with electric power from Lake Coleridge and lifted with modern machinery and up-to-date quarters for the Instructor and his pupils. EPS OBJECTS. What Air. Wigram and his colleagues in this patriotic enterprise sot out to do was to provide at a minimum cost to the pupils a thorough preliminm.v training for young New Zcalandeis anxious to devote themselves to the flyring service of the Empire. They were lucky enough with the'assistance of the

Government and the High Comissioner to secure Air. Cecil Mackenzie Hill, one of the most distinguished flying men of the Old Country and a highly skilled mechanic, an instructor and under the gentleman’s management ’and direction the school has realised the most sanguine; expectations of its promoters.; Of course the pupils training is not completed in New Zealand. After taking the pilot’s certificate, which they may do after six weeks or two months of study and practice, they are sent Home to undergo a further course of instruettion which may include a variety of subects such as map reading, wireless, signalling, navigation and so forth that could not be brought here except at large additional expense. PUPILS. The thoroughness of the instruction provided by the school has been proved by the marked efficiency of the pupils it has prepared for the further • course prescribed by the Royal Flying Corps. The excellence of its equipment is open for everyone to see. What it wants now is pupils ,more pupils and still more pupils. Thq way is made easy for any young man with the necessary spirit, physical stamina and education. He must he of British parentage, be- ’ tween /eighteen and twenty-five years of age and capable of passing a stiff medical ©animation. The training here is not free, hut the cost to the pupil or his friends is made soj low that it is hoped no suitable youtlf will be de-, barred from taking the preliminary course ,and with his' pilot’s certificate in big pocket he will find the door leading to opportunity and .aelnenvement thrown wide open to him .