OTAGO AERO CLUB

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21925, 21 January 1946, Page 4

OTAGO AERO CLUB

DISAPPOINTMENT VOICED

ACTIVITIES NOT RESUMED (P.A.) DUNEDIN, Jan. 19,

The disappointment of the Otago Aero Club that it had not been possible yet to resume activities was voiced in an interview by the president, Mr. A. S. Skinner.

He said that approaches had been made to the Government in the last two years, but the authorities would not make up their minds about the basis on which flying could be resumed and the club was still unable to operate.

The principal points at issue were the very limited aircraft available, indefinite tenure of the Taieri aerodrome, and the absence of information about subsidies, which represented about £4OO a year, a considerable proportion of the former revenue. Mr. Skinner added that a vary limited number of Tiger Moths were available from the Government at £450 each. The Government originally suggested a price of £BOO to the clubs —a ridiculous figure when the surplus of this type of machine was taken into consideration

“The permission to fly just granted does not mean that the Otago club can start operations at once,” he added. "As the result of the socialisation of the internal air services it is quite possible that the 'Taieri aerodrome will suffer the same fate as Union Airways and pass to Government control. On this point the Minister declines to give either an assurance of our tenure or any information that will enable us to take steps to start operations.” ’