AIR SCHOLARSHIP

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 126, 31 May 1938, Page 9

AIR SCHOLARSHIP

FIRST SELECTION

THREE FOR EXAMINATION

A ballot was taken at a meeting ot

the Aircraft Club held at Brooklyn last evening to select three members to go forward for-examination, one of the . three to be awarded theflrst scholar* ship in aeronautics awarded by the club. The selected members to go before the examining board were R. J. Thompson, Southbridge,- Canterbury; J. C. Kirk, Heme Bay, Auckland; and A. E. Lipscombe, Brooklyn, Wellington. Mr. C. W. Batten presided oyer the meeting. The chairman explained, for the benefit of non-members present, that the members of the Aircraft Club paid a subscription of £ 5 4s per annum, or 2s per week. For this they receiveid a first, second, or third-year course in aeronautics, each year being complete in itself. The first-year course was ot quite a primary nature. No one must suppose that such a course, either ofcorrespondence or lectures, would qualify him as a ground engineer. To anyone, however, who was interested in aviation, the course was most valuable and the instruction, though necessarily limited, was sound,, and was Most helpful in giving young, men an idea of what was involved in an aviation career. It also gave; a grounding whereby those who wished could cover in spare time much of the subjects which later they would study more intensively if , they, went on further in,aviation. 1 To those who were fortunate enough to win a scholarship, the 'club' definitely opened' . the way to a career, he added. From his own point of view, he felt that the movement now started, which had brought together over 209 members in a very short time, was capable of .exercising a very great influence on the future of civil aviation and air defence in New Zealand. Now that a start, so essentially practical arid so promising, had been made,"'it was his intention as soon as possible to enlist the support of citizens generally in order to assist the young people who had shown the initiative and determination to help themselves. Events had moved so quickly that the formalities' of organisation had not been completed, and already the funds I were more-than sufficient for. the first scholarship. He felt, therefore, that the practical Woirk should not be delayed, and that a scholarship should be made available at once. At the proper time and place the* plans for complete organisation would be ,laid before those interested.

The ballot was then held to decide the first three members to go. before the examining board; which includes one of the trustees of the. fund,' Flight* Lieutenant Rawnsley, Wellington Aero Club, and Mr, A. J. Dingle, deputy master of the Guild of Aeronautical Engineers.

. The chairman congratulated those selected, one of whom, he said, would receive, a scholarship embracing instruction in ground engineering and in flying. AH the other members, 241 in number, would be eligible for another selection, which seemed likely- to take place within a month.