AIR ESTIMATES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 133, 18 March 1931, Page 5

AIR ESTIMATES

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT. STRONGER FIRST LINE DEFENCE. NOW FTFTH IN THE WORLD. (United Press Association—Copyright). (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. An important development in aviation was mentioned by the Under-Secretary of State lor Air (Mr F. Montagu) when, in the House of Commons, he introduced the Air Estimates for the next year, totalling £18,000,000, which is £250,000 over last year's estimate

Mr Montague said that three new squadrons would be provided for Home defence, in accordance with the scheme on which the Air Ministry has i.ecn working for some years. Great Britain would then have 42 squadrons with a lirsc-lino strength of about 4v»o aircraft. The Government wished to avoid anv race in air armamvn;.s. It looked for substantial results from the coming Wuiid Disarmament Conference. Britain stood fifth in. first-line strength among the air Powers of theworld, and her smaller strength was much more widely distributed, as it had to bear a much bigger responsibility for air defence abroad. British expenditure on air strength was roughly one per cent lower than it was five years ago, while the French expenditure was up by over 130 per cent, Italian by roughly 40 per cent, and the United States by over 150 per cent. Mr Montague claimed that accidents attributable, to. faults of workmanship or material had been reduced to the very rarest occurrence. The system of inspection had combined with the quality of British workmanship to place the British aircraft industry in a paramount position. , , Turning to developments m civil aviation, Mr Montague said the opening of the northern section oi the route from Cairo to Cape Town was a matter for congratulation. Assuming that the London-to-Egypt service reverted to the Italian route, .the journey between London and Cane Town would ultimately* take 10j days. A tentative scheme had been prepared for a weekly air mail service between Calcutta and Australia, to link up with the existing passenger mail service between England and India. Mr Montague said that, until tin 1 report of the Court of Inquiry into the RlOl disaster had been considered, an attempt to discuss the future airship policv would be premature.- : Sir Samuel Hoare, who was Minister for Air in the Baldwin Ministry, emphasised the rapid growth of the destructive power of the air arm and the increases of air expenditure by other nations. Reduction of air armaments at the forthcoming world conference was of vital importance to Great Britain, provided she secured a standard of parity with the other great European Powers. "He added that the ' League Covenant and the Kellogg Pact did'not guarantee the country against the possibilitv of instantaneous air attack. This possibility made the nations of Europe nervous, and Britain s position was most unsatisfactory.