H—37

The following numbers of ab initio trainees trained at aero clubs (indicated) were issued with " A " Licences during the period Ist April, 1946, to 31st March, 1947 : Ashburton Aero Club .. .. .. .. 1 Auckland Aero Club .. .. .. .. 14 Canterbury Aero Club .. .. .. .. 9 Hawera Aero Club .. .. .. .. 9 Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club .. . . .. 13 Marlborough Aero Club .. .. .. .. 3 Middle Districts Aero Club .. .. .. 9 Motueka Aero Club .. . . .. .. 1 Napier Aero Club .. .. .. .. .. 1 Nelson Aero Club .. .. .. .. .. ..11 New Plymouth Aero Club .. .. .. .. .. 23 Opotiki Aero Club .. .. .. .. 3 Otago Aero Club .. .. .. .. .. 5 Stratford Aero Club .. .. .. .. 2 Tauranga Aero Club .. .. .. .. 1 Waikato Aero Club .. .. .. .. 3 Wanganui Aero Club .. .. .. .. 6 Wellington Aero Club .. .. .. .. 1 Total .. .. .. .. .. ..115 T have, &c., E. A. Gibson, Director of Civil Aviation.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947 The Hon. the Minister of Defence. I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of the Meteorological Office for the year ended 31st March, 1947. General During the last four years of the war the Meteorological Service had been organized as a branch of the R.N.Z.A.F., and during the period under review the reversion to civil status was completed. The Service is now constituted as a civil branch of Air Department. The transition was carried out gradually, but in spite of this it was found impossible to attract sufficient suitable men to fill the civil establishment. Thus the difficulties inherent in the reorganization were greatly increased and the scope and quality of the service which can be rendered at the present time is necessarily below the desired standard. By agreement with the United Kingdom Government, the New Zealand Meteorological Service during the war accepted responsibility for the organization and operation of meteorological facilities required in British possessions in the South Pacific. The arrangement has been continued in a modified form whereby New Zealand retains technical responsibility, under the South Pacific Air Transport Council, for all meteorological facilities in British territories in the Pacific east of longitude 170° E. Responsibility in the area to the west of this meridian rests with Australia. The costs involved will be shared by the various Commonwealth partners. Under this scheme New Zealand has supplied the professional and technical staff needed to provide a forecasting service, primarily for aviation purposes, in Fiji. The main forecasting centre will be at the international airport at Nandi, but the facilities throughout the whole of the colonial

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