GRANT TO AERO CLUB

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 148, 19 March 1931, Page 7

GRANT TO AERO CLUB

Council Gives £lOO OBJECTIONS VOICED • Dominion Special Service. Masterton, March 18. A grant of £lOO was made to the Wairarapa Aero Club by the Masterton Borough Council last night. Several councillors objected to tne grant being made. Councillor W. H- . Saunders considered the expenditure not justified under the circumstances as they had the ratepayers to consider. Councillor W. J. O’Leary supported him, stating that some ratepayers wanted a reduction ln The C Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan, considered that the council should do something toward keeping in this district a unit o the Air Force to assist in the training of pilots and to have the benefit of its services if required. The Government had decided that the districts concerned should assist in that direction. “It is a national matter, pointed out Councillor Nippon. “The has no right to place it °n loc a l bodies. Councillor Nippon stated that present aero club in Masterton was providing more pilots than the Wellington club and the opinion was that it bad one of the best instructors in New Zealand. It also had one of the finest landing grounds in the Dominion, except perhaps Wanganui. He referred to what had been done by councils in other parts of New a ’ toward the establishment of municipally owned grounds, but when it came to privatelv-owned aerodrome he did nor think the town should vote for its upfurther discussion a motion, that the clause recommending the grant be struck out, was defeated.