ANOTHER AERO CLUB?

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 139, 8 March 1929, Page 13

ANOTHER AERO CLUB?

MOVE IN HUTT VALLEY DEFENCE MINISTER , APPROACHED Claiming that the establishment of a light aeroplane club in the Hutt Valley was particularly justified by the existence of Gear Island as a prospective Hying ground, a deputation of Hying enthusiasts asked the Minister of Defence (Hon. T. M. Wilford) lor an undertaking of Government assistance to the extent of a machine on loan when the club was organised. The deputation consisted of Messrs. G. Carter, O. Cottrell, W. Dobson. and I. E. Rawnsley. Replying to the representations, the Minister said there were conditions laid down by the Government for the formation of .light aeroplane clubs, and until a club complied with them it could not ask anything of the Government, which would deal only with approved clubs. To be approved a club must have a flying ground with a suitable landing strip 500 feet wide and of satisfactory surface under any weather conditions. The only doubt Jye had as to the suitability of Gear Island as an aerodrome was whether or not it could satisfy the experts that it could present a satisfactory surface under any weather conditions. Also there was no provision at Gear Island for a slipway for the use of seaplanes. Mr. Wilford said the reasonable thing to do was to obtain financial backing, and then approach him again. He was prepared to do everything possible to help in the establishment of a club, but he had to see that it was done properly.

USE OF GEAR ISLAND

The subject was gone into at a meeting of the provisional committee, at Lower Hutt, on Wednesday night, Mr. I. E. Rawnsley presided. It was suggested that the golf club and the aero club might cooperate in renting Gear Island, with the idea of using it as a combined golf and flying area, or even as a general sports ground. It was considered that the local bodies should contribute something towards the establishment of an aerodrome, which the Minister of Defence had declared would soon be considered as essential in each town as a railway station. The suggestion was put forward that representatives of the club should meet, representatives of the public bodies in the Hutt Valley, to see if those authorities would co-operate in making Gear Island an air port for the Hutt Valley.