ASSISTANCE TO AERO CLUBS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 259, 31 July 1939, Page 13

ASSISTANCE TO AERO CLUBS

Government Gives £77,000 In Two Years TRAINING PILOTS FOR DEFENCE Dominion Special Service. PALMERSTON NORTH, July 29. Since 1937 the aero club movement had received direct financial assistance from the Government amounting to £77,000, and for the current year the figures would be very much greater, said the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, at the opening of the Middle Districts Aero Club’s new buildings at Milson Aerodrome, Palmerston North today. During the nine years between 1923 and 1937 the Government provided subsidies to aero clubs amounting to £21,000 and lent to aero clubs 30 aircraft. In 1937 the Government introduced the scheme for training pilots in the Civil Reserve and for the Air Force, the elementary training being undertaken through the aero club movement. . In the two years during which the scheme had been in operation, the aero clubs had received £48.336 and in addition mpre than £29,000 had been advanced to aero clubs for the purchase of aircraft. During the two years 1937 and 1938 the aero clubs were training 100 pilots for the Civil Reserve and 50 Air Force candidates. They were now being paid to train 150 candidates for the Civil Reserve and more than 300 for the Air Force.

It would be seen that the Government had a keep appreciation of the value of the aero club movement for defence purposes, said Mr. Jones. The Government recognized, however, that the aero club movement had a wider significance in the life of a local community. It provided facilities for young men and young women not only to learn flying but to secure the advantage of social amenities such as the facilities available in the new clubhouse.