AERO CLUBS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 74, 22 February 1930, Page 9

AERO CLUBS.

CONFERENCE AT BLENHEIM. DOMINION BODY TO BE FORMED. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, Feb. 21. The first conference of New Zealand Aero Clubs, which was held to-night, was attended by 30 delegates representative of the Auckland, Canterbury, Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, Hawera, New Plymouth, Wellington, Otago, Southland and Wairarapa clubs, with the Director of Air Services, WingCommander Grant Dalton, in an advisory capacity. Mr H. R. Dix, of the Marlborough Club, presided. A formidable agenda of 19 remits was considered and it was decided to appoint a committee to draw up a constitution for a body to be known as the New Zealand Aero Club, all approved clubs to be members and the body to control air pageants, claims to records and generally to promote the interests of aviation. Further, a committee, was set up to approach the Government in regard to general conditions for aero clubs’ insurance, co-operation with the Meteorological Department in drawing up visibility scales for various parts of New Zealand, to ask tho Government to give aviation telegrams priority of transit and special rates for telephone communication. A resolution was carried urging the Government to amend tho Sunday 'Trading Act, so that flying for hire on Sundays is no offence. The conference expressed the opinion that it was too early to discuss the question of landing and parking fees. In this connection, a resolution was passed expressing the opinion that the landing and other fees at Wellington were excessive and that no fees should bo charged for club machines landing at Wellington. The meeting unanimously approved of a remit from Auckland recommending that a system be instituted whereby club pilots may become units in territorial flights and squadrons in the various centres, a flight to be formed from each club and regular instruction given by Air Force officers, that annual camps be held and that the suggested training be accepted in lieu of compulsory military training. It was decided to recommend to pilots who have to fly over an expanse of water that they wear lifebelts. Weather conditions are ideal, and there is promise of perfect weather for the pageant to-morrow.