Three directors of Skybus resign

Press, 12 February 1981, Page 4

Three directors of Skybus resign

PA Auckland A meeting of the Aqua Avia Society’s board of directors took a dramatic turn yesterday with the resignation of three Skybus directors. They resigned because of an “inability to reconcile differences” between themselves and another director.

The troubles of the cheap airfare airline came to a head yesterday at a board meeting. Three members, Messrs John Yates, Murray Purchase, and David Culham, considered there was little chance of the society’s being granted landing rights in- New Zealand while another director/ Mr .John Rutherford, of Christchurch, retrained on the board. It was, according to .Mr Yates, suggested that't Mr Rutherford should resign. He did not. The three members ■decided that as a matter of principle they . could no longer work with him and resigned. The society’s secretarytreasurer, Mr Murray Tracy, resigned and the society’s barrister, Mr Graeme Jenkins, is.no longer taking instructions from the society. Mr Yates, asked if resign-

ing was a convenient way of walking away from the airline, said that would be for people to judge. He did, however, still believe in the conicept of the airline. But he could not work with Mt Rutherford. The first meeting of members still went ahead last evening but the matter of the resignations was apparently not discussed. There were, however, three directors in attendance: Mr Rutherford; an Australian, Sir Reginald Barnewall; and a newly appointed director, Mrl W. T. T. Kele. ' . i Mr Rutherford said that J the members more than 100 attended the meeting — were told that the three directors had resigned. But there was.no discussion, as the meeting had been ; called specifically to discuss ruU changes, mostly suggested by the Securities Commission. The changes were made.

A further meeting ‘is planned next week. Mr Rutherford said he did not want to comment on what .had been discussed at the board meeting. However, he did say board members “come and go.” He described the resignations as a storm in a teacup. The remaining board members, he said, were totally committed to getting the airline off the ground. The staff was behind the remaining team. “We have got new people from overseas who have worked in charter operations joining us,” he said... ; /. Mr Rutherford said Sir Reginald had been appointed chairman of the board of the society a few days ago. ■ Meanwhile, the man behind the soci.ety, Mr W. Mf B. Thompson, was last evening flying home from overseas,' apparently oblivious of a split in the ranks.