AERO CLUB

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4122, 6 April 1949, Page 5

AERO CLUB

SEQUEL TO RESIGNATIONS SPECIAL MEETING HELD RECENT TROUBLE AIRED

A vote of no confidence in the officers of the Hauraki Aero Club was withdrawn in favour of a resolution calling for their resignation at a special meeting of some 60 to 70 members held last week. A new committee was elected to hold office until the annual meeting in May. The situation arose from the recent resignations of certain club officials and the meeting was called to consider and deal with this position. The controversy which had existed in the club for some time and divided members into two different schools of thought, was fully thrashed out, both in committee and in open meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting members generously showed their interest in the club by donating over £lOO spontaneQUsly for its funds. The election of officers resulted: President, Mr J. W. T. Morrison, vicepresidents, Messrs C. L. Robertson and A. E. Glessing; club captain, Mr R. Laurent; vice-captain, Mr E. Smith; treasurer, Mr B. Oliver; committee, Mrs B. Oliver, Messrs F. W. Sawyer, 0. L. Cox, C. Foote and N. H. Bethwaite.

On a motion by Mr J. H. Corbett, the retiring president, the chair was taken by Mr-W. A. Kelly, who said that he would allow every latitude for members to air their views.

Mr C. L. Robertson objected to this. He said he did not think that any good would come of reviving events which had happened during the past three years. There were two factions in the club now, he said, both working for the good of the club, but the stage had been reached when members should take a vote as to which side they should support. Mr Kelly maintained, however, that the more discussion there was the better the matter would be understood. Mr F. W. Sawyer, instructor to the club, who had recently handed' in his resignation, then outlined the position since he had joined some two years ago, pointing out the facts which had led to his resignation. Much Progress Made

Much progress had been made since the days when the club had no aircraft of its own and only a visiting instructor, he said. A hangar was being erected to which he himself had donated some 6500 feet of timber; the club had its own planes and its members had approached him to take a refresher course so that he might become its instructor. This he did at the club’s cost, but neither received nor asked for any payment for the work he put in. “ The club has made steady progress in spite of one or two major setbacks,” he went on.

Mr Kelly then warned that personalities must not be mentioned. When Mr Sawyer said that that attitude defeated the purpose of his talk, the meeting went into committee while Mr Sawyer explained his position. Meeting on March 10

When the secretary, Mr Sidney L. Smith, was called upon to read the minutes of a special meeting held on March 10 last to deal with the matter which Mr Sawyer was discussing, a resolution to xesume standing orders was carried by 38 votes to 26. According to the minutes, it was alleged that a member of the club, Mr G. Corbett had shown insolence and used bad language when speaking to the club captain about the priority of dual instruction over passenger flying. Mr Oliver’s motion that Mr Corbett be suspended from being a flying member of the club for life was defeated, six votes to five. The motion that he be reprimanded for his behaviour was carried, hwoever. Mr Oliver and others then handed in their resignations and left the meeting, Mr Gordon Corbett being appointed to fill the vacancy on the committee.

At this juncture, Mr Corbett addressed the meeting. “ I think it was a very dim thing for Mr Oliver to ask for my expulsion for life,” he said. “ A lifetime is a very long time.” He added that he had been in the district for over 27 years, whereas Mr Oliver was comparatively new to Thames, “ yet, he would cast a slur on my name. I went before the committee and I was found not guilty.” “ Like Lot of Children ”

After further discussion on this matter, and reference to another personality who was discussed in committee, Mr Kelly said: “I think that they have juet been carrying on like

a lot of children. They are all good fellows —officers and everyone else — elected at the annual meeting, but they have not tried to work together. “ There have been only two real complaints made here tonight and those are complaints about two individuals who have been up before the committee.” He thought the resolution that Mr Corbett be expelled was “ absolutely drastic,” but electing Mr Corbett to the committee after he had been reprimanded was “ most undiplomatic.” There were faults on both sides, and he urged members to wait until the annual meeting in May before moving a vote of no confidence or electing a new committee to act for only four or five weeks. Mr C. L. Robertson pointed out that if that were done, the club would lose some £BO during that time. Position of Instructor Mr Kelly appealed to Mr Sawyer to carry on in the capacity of instructor until the meeting in May. He would agree to that, replied Mr Sawyer, provided he had a committee which would support him; he could not carry on under the present set-up. The vote of no confidence was withdrawn and the officers’ resignations received. The election was then held. When approached after the election, Mr Sawyer said he would be willing to continue as instructor. His was the only nomination for the position and it was carried by acclamation. Mr J. H. Corbett, who declined nomination both as president and as a member of the committee, was unanimously elected an honorary life member in recognition of his services. Mr Corbett had been the founder of the club, said Mr Robertson and he had taken over its presidency when “ things looked gloomy,” and had done a good job of work.

“ All that I hope and pray for is that the club is able to carry on. I will do all in my power at any time to help the club financially or otherwise,” replied Mr Corbett. Mr 0. L. Cox moved a vote of thanks to the retiring committee while Mr L. N. Moody thanked Mr Kelly for his able and fair way of conducting the meeting.