GREY AERO CLUB

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1935, Page 6

GREY AERO CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Greymouth Aero Club (Ineorp.) was held last evening, there being an attendance of fifteen members. In the absence of the President, Mr J. Greenslade, from whom an apology was received, Mr F. A. Kitch'ingham was voted to the chair. The annual report, as published in yesterday 'e issue was adopted on the motion of the Chairman and Mr J. H. Brailsford. ißeferring to- the report, the Chairments that- possible sites in the vicinity Aero Clubs to provide landing grounds, "but he wished to contradict the statemens that possible sites in the vicinity of Grcymouh had not been investigated. In 1928 Captain Buckley inspected the present Hospital site, Cobden Island and also the lagoon, from the point of view of a landing place for seaplanes, and reported adversely on all of them. Subsequently, he (t'he speaker) personally. or in company with others intipeeted proposed sites at Keeney’s and Steer’s farms, North Beach between the New River lagoon and the sea, the terraces behind Weeniuk’s at South Beach, Om-oito, Fairhall’s property, the flats between Kaiata and Dobson, the Taylorville pakihi, Shannahan’s farm, while a report on the terraces behind Gladstone was received from Mr Ogilvie. In addition there had been a detailed survey made of the site on the north side of the Cobden breakwater. The report on that site had been that it would always be a bugbear to all but experienced pilots but that -it could be used in the absence of anything better. Recently the Hospital site had been recommended. When it was inspected in 1928 it lhad been regarded merely as a narrow atrip of land between the lagoon and the sea. but under Captain Gibson’s plans the whole scheme was revised, aud comprised the reclamation -of a considerable area of the lagoon. ■ In reply to a question Mr Brailsford (Secretary of the West Coast United Aero Club) said that there was a plane for the West Coast already assembled at Wigram, and it would be brought over as soon as a pilot-instructor was appointed by the Club. Provided that there were no unforseen circumstances he considered that t'hey would be able to commence training in about three week’s time. The Secretary (Mr F. T. Thorpy) presented the following financial statement Expenditure: Printing, etc., 9s lOd; advertising 7s 6d, postage: etc., £° 0« Sd- incorporation fees £1 Is; affiliation fees, £1 12s 6d; office expenses £1 7s 10(1; copies of “Wings £IJ 3s- collection costs 13s; sundry expenses’ £1 3s 86; balance to accumulation fund £l4 5s sd; total £42 4s sd. Income: Subscriptions receivable i. 3 3s; donations £1 3s; profit on ball £34 5' 11.1; interest bank account £3 12s 6d; total £42 4s sd. Balance as at March 31st 1935: Liabilities: Sundry creditors open account £2 2s 6d; affiliation fee unpaid £1 Is 8d —£3 4s 2d. Accumulation fund: Balance 1934 £l7O Is 2d; surplus fund £l4 5s sd—£lB4 6s 7d; total £lB7 10s 9d. Assets: Cash £135 19s lid; ground lease £2; sundry debitors; Unpaid subscriptions £49 7s; sundry account £3 10s —£-99 10s lOd. Total'£lB7 10s 9d.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers for the ensuing term resulted as follows:—Patrons, Messrs J. W. Greenslade, Gordon Blair aud P. J. McLean; President, The Mayor-elect;, Mr W. Mel<!;rum; Vice-President?: Messi's J. O 'Brien, M.P., J. W. Hannan and J. Ry all; Executive Committee, Messrs F. 11. Kiitchingham, E. J. C. Hay, W. E. Norton, A. J. McDowall and E. Langbein; Hon. Treasurer, Mr H. J. Wicks; Hon. Auditor, Mr 11. J. Wicks. The chairman moved that Mr H. W. de Castro, late Captain of the Club, be appointed an honorary life member of the Club. Mr de Castro had been responsible for the formation of (the -Club, and also the United Club, and he had been put to a tremendous amount of work. He had been ably seconded by Mr Brailsford, but Mr de Castro was really the driving force behind the Club movement. The motion was seconded by Mr G. F. Shallcrass, aud carried. Mr J. B. Patron moved that the Club make representations to the new Borough Council to proceed with the construction of the aerodrome at the Blaketowu site with the utmost dispatch. The motion was seconded by Mr F. Costello, and carried. It was decided to make a recommendation to the Committee to hold the annual ball as soon as possible. A vote of appreciation of the services -of the retiring Treasurer, Mr G. F. Shallcrass, was carried by acclamation. In reply to a question, the Chairman said that he thought that it would take six months to put he Blaketown aerodrome site to put the Blaketown aeronienced, but it depended on getting the grass established. However, one runway would probably be ready in three months.