The Sun THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1928 A PLANE FOR AUCKLAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 464, 20 September 1928, Page 10

The Sun THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1928 A PLANE FOR AUCKLAND

AUCKLAND must tak6 to the air and secure its rightful place in the forefront of winged enterprise in New Zealand. Its youth, whose prowess in sport is quick and of the keenest courage, as it was in war, must learn to fly. The air beckons to lovers of adventure and high achievement. This is the most vivid lesson of the happy visit of Australia’s famous airmen to Auckland, whose repeated thorough triumphs in altering time and space before our eyes, and opening lofty paths to a new world of progress are as a bugle call to intrepid youth.

Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Fli gh t-Li e uteri an t Him, co-commanders of the Southern Cross, are so convinced of the scope for the development of aviation in this district, the Dominion’s leading centre of population, that they are in full sympathy with the aims and purposes of the new Auckland Aero Club. Their sympathy has taken the practical form of a donation of twenty guineas to a public fund which The Sun inaugurates to-day, with the object of securing quickly for the Aero Club its first two-seater airplane. Their splendid and spontaneous example has been emulated with ready generosity by the club’s genial president, Mr. Robert Burns. Hundreds of other citizens, who realise with keen disappointment just how far Auckland has lagged behind in respect of initiating the establishment of an air club and the practice of private flying, which already has become so important a feature of progressive aviation in Great Britain, may now be relied upon with confidence materially and substantially to support the Aero Club as a living enterprise^

The objective of the appeal is anything but an extravagant goal. It is simply to secure without delay the first essential means of teaching young Auckland to fly and ultimately to follow the lead of daring aerial pathfinders. A well-equipped two-seater light plane costs in England between £.675 and £775. Thus, the Auckland Aero Club’s first aircraft may be estimated to cost, say, £750. It would be a notable response to the inspiration given to this country by the winged wonders over the Pacific and the Tasman Sea, who have seen ten thousand miles of ocean and land slide under them as in a rapid motion-picture of travel by air, if this community were to contribute twice the requisite sum out of hand, but the first aim is to obtain a plane and make a promising start this coming summer on the development of air club aviation.

Many airplane clubs are operating successfully in the Old World, where conditions for flying are no better and frequently are not so good as those over and about Auckland. Experts in England set down the operating costs of a light plane; allowing for maintenance, housing, insurance, general expenses, and fuel, at threepence or fourpence a mile.' Tuition of private flyers costs approximately £ls to £2O. Indeed, private flying in a light plane is not a great deal more expensive than motoring, and really no more hazardous. There are no pedestrians in the #ir.

The conquerors of the Pacific and the Tasman Sea have assured the Government that the prospect of an air transport service between Australia and New Zealand is quite practicable, to be done with the right craft in 15 hours. If that be within sight, there is all the more reason for the quickening of light plane flying over familiar territory. Let Auckland demonstrate its power and pride in enterprise.

TURNED DOWN AGAIN !

ANOTHER slap in the face has been given the City Council. The ratepayers yesterday rejetted, at a poll, two proposals for the extension of public baths facilities, one to raise £22,500 for new swimming baths at Point Chevalier, and the other—a loan of £7,500 —for filtration and sterilisation plant at Parnell and Shelly Beach baths and the extension of the intake pipe at the tepid baths. A substantial majority of the ratepayers who voted would have neither.

The result is in no way surprising. The council’s had record of administration and particularly its roundabout way of seeking to do the right things in the wrong way has gone deep into the public mind and shaken confidence in the council’s general policy. The poll, it is true, was a light one. But there is no consolation in that fact for the council. Famous airmen attracted much more public interest than infamous conditions at some of the swimming baths. Indeed, if there had been no excitement in the city the slap to the council would have been harder.

A grievous position has now arisen. The council has been denied authority to complete its plans: tenders and preparations for essential improvements to the baths have been left in the air, like Mohammed’s coffin. And the season for an eager, popular use of the baths is approaching. It has to be observed with a shudder that, apart from the council’s persistent dog-in-the-manger determination to build swimming baths at Point Chevalier, all the other improvements concerned foul conditions in popular baths. What is to he done about the pool at Parnell and also the baths at Shelly Beach? Are they to be thrown out of commission? Or must bathers look forward with content to plunging into nauseating water that has been condemned by the health authorities? It is probably too much to expect the council to shorten its term of office and voluntarily resign in favour of a new administration, but it is time drastic action were taken. Its position is farcical. In all its projects and attempts at progress it lacks the confidence of the ratepayers. The council had better ponder the situation.