NEW AEROPLANES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 261, 3 November 1932, Page 10

NEW AEROPLANES.

- PURCHASE BY STATE.,

TRAINING FOR PILOTS.

HUNDRED THIS YEAR.

(By Telegraph.—-Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The Government intends to purchase three aeroplanes for aero club use and to provide for subsidies for the training of 100 aero club pilots this year. This means an increase of 10 pilots as compared with the number of subsidised pilots last year.

These facts were announced by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G~. Cobbe, this morning in replying to a deputation which waited on him and the Prime Minister.

The deputation was from the New Zealand Aero Club, and among the speakers was Mr. R. Spencer Mason, president of the Auckland Aero Club and vice-president' of the New Zealand Aero Club, who asked for an amendment to the law permitting Sunday flying. He pointed out that other forms of transport were permitted to conduct business on Sundays, but, when the Act was consolidated, flying had not really begu» in New Zealand. At the present time, he said, it was illegal, according to the decision of some magistrates, -to hire an aeroplane to convey a doctor to an, urgent ease on a Sunday. He asked that the prosecutions, which were a source of grea.t annoyance, should cease.

The Minister said the position in regard to Sunday flying would be investigated.