THE AERO CLUB

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 52, Issue 207, 14 June 1932, Page 7

THE AERO CLUB

FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING. REFERENCE TO FINANCES. The fourth annual meeting of the Canterbury Aero Club was held in the Chamber of Commerce Hall, Christchurch, last evening, Mr J» C. Guinness (vice-president) presiding, in the absence; of the president (Sir Francis Boys). Moving The adoption of the annual report, the chairman, referring to the financial loss suffered during the year, stated that it might be worth while noting that other clubs in. the Dominion had suffered similarly through the depressed conditions of the country. The cutting down of the Government subsidy from £25 for 20 pupils to £22 10s for nine pupils had been one big loss. Machines and equipment had been kept in good order. One x way members could assist. was by endeavouring to increase the membership and the interest in flying locally. Social members' subscriptions were in very many cases in arrears. These needed to be paid if the club was to continue its, social activities. The chairman also complimented the club's pilot-instruc-tor (Mr J. C. Mercer) on his work during the year, and the staff for their efficient work. The secretary (Mr P. R.. Climie) was also thanked by the chairman. During the discussion, on the report, which was subsequently adopted a suggestion was made by Mr R. J. S. Wilson that the club should establish some place to be used as a social room for pilots and trainees. These people were becoming more and more a factor in the financial future of the club, and he thought that something more ought to be done for.them. Pilots would agree that the hangar was not the most comfortable place for social intercourse. Mr P. A. Turner, a member ot the committee, expressed agreement with the suggestion, but, he stated, social members ought not to be overlooked, for in his opinion they were the future pilot members of the clubThe chairman stated that the question of social amenities for both pilot and social members had not been overlooked. An experiment along the lines suggested had been made at Timaru but he understood that it had not been a great success. . One improvement which was being contemplated for the social welfare ot the club, was the installation of tennis courts, said Mr Climie. To this and to a proposal to lay out a nine-hole or an 18-hole golf course, the authorities at Wigram had not expressed disapPl «lam one who believes in the social member as an important part of the club's activities," said Mr Chmie. . Hie main object of the club is to teach flying, but it has been the experience of all clubs that the social side must be encouraged. The club intends to do as much as possible in this direction."

The Financial position. Mr Climie did not think that there was any need to be over-pessimistic about the balance-sheet. It was an invitation to all members to make renewed efforts to increase -membership and to do all possible to prevent furthThe°position was not alarming said the auditor (Mr Denys Hoare). Depreciation of property and decreases in had to be transferred from preserve. But there were reserye S/ of ovei £6OOU, of which £6OOO was in cash. A-good few businesses would hke to be in that position,. , emu ought not to be downhearted. It was an extraordinary thing that m such a club nothing had had to be written off for misadventure. I was announced by the secretary that the area adjacent to the Wigiam Aerodrome, which was recently given k,T dir Heniv W grain to the fcrovein Sent w^tobelevelled' and generally work s£rtfn g About 50 men were to be under the Unemployment Boaids Sme and the work, which was to akTtlireemonths,to> complete.would would mean that the club's^chines, wouldl be able to take off from in front of their own hangars. Officers Elected. The following officers were elected :-- Patron, Sir Henry Wigram; piesident Sir Francis Boys; vice-president Mi J C. Guinness; hon. treasurer, Mr YV. H. Williamson; North Canterbury representative, Mr F. f Johnston, kid-Canterbury representative, mg. B Newton ; South Canterbury repre . sentative, Mr S. IX Mason; committee, Messrs N. H. Barlow, J..J. Busch, D. C. Crozier, J. H. Millar, R. £• Palmer, J. R. Richardson, F. b. Sheed J Strang, R. S. Taylor and PA Turner. Mr Denys Hoare was reappointed auditor. The meeting passed a hearty vote of thanks to the pilot instructor and the staff for their work and co-opera-tion during the year. Votes of thanks were also passed to the hon. secretary (Mr IP. R. C imie) and his assistant (Miss M. F. Kiddy). At a meeting of the new committee, held at the close of the annual meeting, several matters regarding the social activities of the club were discussed at length and a sub-committee consisting of Messrs Taylor and Palmer was set up to go into the extension of the social side of the club's work and report to the next meeting of the committee, which is to be held at Ashburtoii on ■July 5. , , '. Mr N. H. Barlow was granted six months' leave of absence, in view of bis trip to America-