AIR TRAINING CORI’S

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 October 1943, Page 2

AIR TRAINING CORI’S

MOBILE INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT ARRIVAL IN MASTERTON TODAY. WELCOME BY THE MAYOR. “1 am glad to welcome this composite unit as the outward and visible sign of what the Air Training Corps is doing,” said the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan today, on the arrival in Masterton of the mobile instructional unit of the Air Training Corps. Owing to the wet weather the display was held at Fagan’s Garage, Bannister Street, today. If the weather is favourable, the unit will be located at the W.F.C.A. Parking Area tomorrow morning and evening and in the afternoon it will visit Wairarapa College. “I think the work might well be described as a valuable youth movement, said Mr Jordan. “It provides splendid training in physical fitness, self-reli-ance, discipline and esprit de corps, a general education ol practical application and specialised instruction in many branches of engineering and other crafts. This is all done under capable instructors, in pleasant surroundings, it is free of all cost and occupies but 21 hours per week ol rhe spare time of the recruit and whatever course his adult life ultimately takes, he will be a litter and better man for his association with the Air Training Corps. Recruits arc wanted between the ages of 16 and 20, there is no obligation to join the R.N.Z.A.F., though it is, of course, expected that the AnTraining Corps will be the natural recruiting ground for the Air Force and it is obvious that those who have passed through the course will have a real flying start in the service. I commend the movement to the earnest support of every parent who has a boy eligible for training. “The benefits,” said Mr Jordan, “will be physical, mental and moral, at a time in the boy’s life which I shall call the most seasonable. We arc indebted to the local Press for its valuable contribution to the movement and the public should be well informed. The headcmarters of the corps aim at increasing its strength by 100 throughout this dictrict and Masterton might well provide half of this. I wish the instructional mobile unit and its staff complete success in its mission and I hope the weather will not hinder them. In the past there has been some unholy alliance between -the gloomy side of our weather and the Carterton Show, but I am reliably informed that the spell has broken and the way is clear.” Replying to the welcome by the Mayor, Flight Lieutenant D. C. Inglis, D.C.M., Officer Commanding the unit, said they wanted the parents of all boys of 14 years and over to come along and inspect the unit and sec the work that the Air Force was doing. Boys who joined the Air Training Corps, he said, would have a tremendous advantage in their future life, by reason of the training they received m the Air Training Corps and in the Air Force. There was no doubt at all, he isaid., that no matter what trade the boys were going in for, the benefits they obtained would be of the utmost value to them. The results of the recruiting drive so far had been excellent and he expected Masterton would create a record. Even those who saw the havoc caused by earthquake _ m Hastings and Napier could not imagine what the devastation would be like if a few 40001 b. bombs had been dropped. In a few minutes it would be far worse than that by earthquake. It was only the Air Force that had enabled the people of New Zealand to be free from that kind of experience. In the unit were 2501 b. bombs and these were fairly big and he reminded them that the R.A.F. had dropped a 40001 b. bomb every ten seconds for half an hour on enemy objectives. He expressed the hope that every one would make a point of inspecting the display and see exactly what the Air Force was doing. The unit would remain in Masterton until tomorrow evening and would be at the Carterton Show on Wednesday and Thursday. He thanked the Mayor for his very fine welcome. The unit will be on display this evening and throughout the day tomorrow and tomorrow evening. _ Tonight the Masterton and College units of the Air Training Corps will march from the State Theatre to the demonstration point. The Masterton Municipal and Salvation Army bands will head the parade. Attention is directed to the essay competition, open to those between 16 and 20 years of age, the subject being the demonstration, with a general description of the unit and an opinion as to the value of the display in promoting interest in the Air Training Corps recruiting drive. The essay is limited to 500 words and must be sent to Flying Officer F. M. Cunningham. P.O. Box 84, Masterton, not later than November 10. Prizes of £2 2s. first: £1 Is, second, and 10s Gd third, are offered.