AERO CLUBS MOVEMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 July 1945, Page 6

AERO CLUBS MOVEMENT

• • ......—- " 1 —- MINISTERIAL SYMPATHY WELLINGTON, July 25. Opening the annual meeting ol the Royal Aero Club, the Minister ol Defence, replying ,to the hope expressed by the President (Mr V. IL Shepherd) that the future of the Aero Club movement should be indicated, said that up to the present the Government had not. given the question consideration, as the war was not over, lie had an open mind and was prepared to carry any. reasonable suggestions to the Government. He favoured week-end activities rather than full-time employment of instructors and other, personnel. He did not see any immediate prospects of casing the petrol situation. Air Commodore Tsitt, Chic! 01. me Air Skiff, assured the meeting of the sympathy of the Depatment with the Aero Club movement, based upon appreciation of the immense help the clubs had been in tftc early stages ol the war and recognition of the value of main to; mug a training reserve. Mr T. Barrow, secretary of the'Air Department, said be had every reason for optimism as to the future of the club movement. The question was what was the opportune, time lo,recommence operations. That was still undetermined. Mr .1. M. Buckeridgc, Acting Controller of Civil Aviation, spoke (fl much advanced aerodrome facilities compared with pre-war, and of lhe necessity tor keeping up lhe standard of maintenance in which a number of local bodies had not succeeded outstandingly before the war. Aerodrome and other facilities would bo retained until post-war requirements were ascertained, and would not be scrapped and have to be rebuilt.