AIR DEFENCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 121, 4 March 1939, Page 5

AIR DEFENCE

INCREASE IN THE ESTIMATES. FIFTY PER CENT IN BRITAIN. HOME AND OVERSEAS STRENGTH. (United Press Association--Copyright.) LONDON, March 2. The gross total @f the Defence and Civil Revenue Departments’ estimates is £1,070,022,462. If debt charges* approximate to the current year’s, the expenditure in 1939-40 will bo about £1,250,000,000. The Air Force gross estimates total £220,626,700, as compared with £134,403,000. Excluding loan elements the figure is £205,951,000, an increase of' more than 50 per cent, compared with £125,621,000 in 1938, £82,500,100 in 1937, and £17,670,893 in 1934. The sum of £93,640,000 is being spent on aircraft and balloons, compared with £51,835,000. The Secretary for Air (Sir Kingsley Wood), in a memorandum, states that the personnel is estimated at 118,000, an increase of 22,000. The programme requires that the entry of recruits should bo tenfold that of a normal preexpansion year. The volunteer reserve of pilots has increased to more -■ than 25.000.

The home first-line strength is expected to total 1750 at the end of March, which is in accordance with the programme • announced in 1936.

A Balloon Command Las been created to administer and train 47 units under the barrage scheme. Generally, the supply of engines, armament, and equipment had been maintained. With the delivery of air frames, where difficulties had occurred in overtaking arrears, arrangements had been made to ensure future full deliveries. The volume of production was now large* and was increasing rapidly. Three all-up 70,0001 b long-range land aeroplanes, two with speeds of 240 miles an hour, and the other with a speed of 270 miles an hour, had been ordered for high altitudes and long-stage flights on Atlantic and Empire services.

The Minister said that the overseas strength of the force had been increased during the year by three squadrons in the Middle East. In view of the wide scope of the Middle East Command, which was responsible for units in East Africa and the Sudan, as well as in Egypt, Palestine and Transjordan, the status of the commanding officer had been raised to that of Air Officer Com-mander-in-Chjef. CIVILIAN PRECAUTIONS. THE EVACUATION SCHEME. LONDON, March 2. Referring to the evacuation problem, the Minister for Health (Mr W. E. Elliot) explained that, in the provisional allocation, the total population of the evaeuable areas was about 11,000,000, spread over the London area and 18 other large congested industrial cities and towns, while the total population of the neutral areas was about 13,000,000. The total population of the reception areas was about 16,000,000. He controverted the. idea that evacuation meant, an indiscriminate, unorganised movement of all ,sorts, sizes and characters. ' v A census of the billeting possibilities in the reception areas, which was now nearly finished, had involved visits by 100,000 volunteers to 5",000,000 houses, and he considered that the enrolment of Army volunteers and helpers on such a scale at short notice was a great testimony to the spirit of national service. Returns so far to hand showed a splendid response on the part of householders in the reception areas. VOLUNTARY SYSTEM DEFENDED. LONDON, March 2. When speaking at Liverpool, Viscount Zetland (Secretary of State for India.) said there were persons abroad who, while admitting the magnitude of Britain’s rearmament .programme, took comfort to themselves from the belief that a voluntary system would fail to give Britain the necessary man-power to make its programme effective. He believed that to be a profound mis-reading of the British character, and ho had little doubt that so long as the British people knew how best they could serve they would respond to the country’s call.