FUTURE OF AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1929, Page 8

FUTURE OF AVIATION

ART',UNION TO RAISE FUNDS. \C- 1 •» -v: •' - The main purpose of the Art Union that is beirtg hold under the auspices of the Auckland Aero Club is to raise funds for the purchase and equipment of a permanent aerodrome. There can be no question that once this is provided the progress, of aviation in the Dominion will be materially hastened and that private ownership of light planes will be considerably encouraged. The interchange of visits amongts aviators in the various centres has up to the present been but i.utle practised owing to the lack of facilities, for landing—once such are provided they should do much to increase the number of cross-country flights.

There is no lack of candidates for pilots’ certificates, but Aero Clubs are nnding great difficulty in meeting the demands owing to the lack of sufficient machines and suitable aerodromes; it is however, estimated that witnin the next twelve months, the number of pilots trained by North Islarid Aero Clubs alone will be very nearly one hundred.

Australia has taken up the movement enthusiastically and it is certainly up to New Zealand not to lag beiiincl; a recent effort by the Australian Aero Clubs resulted in the establishment of thirty new aerodromes, that will play a; great parL in the general communications of the Continent in the near future, and which are already doing much to encourage '•if .!*■ 1 I j i ( "air sense” amongst Australians.

That interest ’amongst private individuals in the Dominion is not lacking is shown by the demands made on the ’planes of the Aero Clubs every week-end, whilst the Hamilton Company’s Moth has carried an average of nearly 350 passengers in a month. The importance of the requirements of the Auckland Aero Club have been realised by the Government, who have given official sanction to the suggestion that funds should be raised by means of an Art Union, and it is hoped that sufficient money will be raised by this means to place the Club equipment on a more satisfactory basis.