Opinion

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The Auckland Gliding Club was founded on 30 April 1931 and is to celebrate 80 years at the end of this month at Drury. We would like to claim to be the first club in New Zealand, is this a valid claim? We believe that the other club operating in 1952 was South Canterbury. Does anyone know if this is correct? This website is our only reference but some in Gliding have long memories. http://www.teara.govt..nz/en/1966/gliding/1 From the 1966 ‘An Encyclopedia of New Zealand’. ‘The association’s council and technical committee met in Auckland until the end of 1954 when the council moved to Christchurch. Auckland again became the headquarters for the council in 1958. The technical committee has always been in Auckland. The association’s work is mainly concerned with the issuing of certificates and the approval of ground engineers, but it has given much help in forming clubs willing to accept guidance. In 1952 two clubs were functioning. By 1964 there were 25 clubs, more than 60 gliders, and over 1,000 members. The Gliding Kiwi, published quarterly, is the official organ of the New Zealand Gliding Association (Inc.).’

Regards, Russell Thorne Secretary Auckland Gliding Club www.glidingauckland.co.nz

Since Russell Thorne wrote this letter more information as come to light. Max Stevens tells us that John Roake has done some research in response and he has found that that honour goes to the Dannevirke Gliding Club, formed in about 1929. This has since been corroborated by Russell himself, who writes, “I went to the NZ Herald archive in Auckland. I found two adjacent articles published the day after the initial AGC inaugural meeting in April 1931 which mentions the club beginnings and also the meeting at the Dannevirke Gliding Club to put together a national association to be known as the New Zealand Gliding Association.”

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