AIRWAYS OF EMPIRE

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 115, 16 May 1924, Page 5

AIRWAYS OF EMPIRE

LONDON TO NEW ZEALAND. PERHAPS IN 1926. WILL GOVERNMENT HURRY ? (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 11 n.m.) LONDON, May 15. Commander C. D. Burney, interviewed, said: "I cannot say bow soon the first airship will arrive, in Australia or New Zealand.. Everything depends upon the Air Ministry's energy in overcoming the initial difficulties of designing and testing. If my scheme had been accepted we should have made the first voyage to Australia within two years, using wartime monitors as mobile bases at Singapore and on the Australian coast. Mv warship guarantee company, backed by Messrs. Yiekcrs and Co., owns Howden airship station, and could undertake any developments on behalf of Australia, New Zealand, and other Dominions if granted a subsidy. "We would need for Australia £300,000 per annum until the Anglo-Australian service was commercially successful. If tho Dominions decide to inaugurate airship services to Britain, there is no reason why they should not start negotiations now and begin building when the Air 'Ministry and ourselves completed trial tests between England and India." —("Sun.") BURNET SCHEME REJECTED. A PLAN ADOPTED. THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURE. LONDON, May 15. An important statement| concerning Empire air _erviees was made in the House of Commons by the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald. He announced that the Government had rejected the Airship Guarantee Company's scheme for Imperial airships, commonly known as the Burney scheme, because it would have created a virtual monopoly. Moreover, it contained features which were objectionable on financial and technical grounds. The Government nevertheless had formed the opinion that it was essential to carry out as soon as possible a constructive programme of airship development, continued Mr. Mac Donald. It was therefore proposed to authorise the Air Ministry to initiate forthwith a comprehensive programme of lighter-than-air research and experiments, including fullscale experiments with existing airships. The Air Ministry would t_nderta___ the construction of a second airship with a capacity of 5,000,000 cubic feet, and also the construction of terminal and intermediate bases overseas to enable the two ships to safely operate between England and India. Simultaneously tho Air Jlinistry would give the Airship Guarantee Company the first offer of a contract for an airship for commercial purposes. In reply to a question Mr. McDonald refused to state where the overseas bases for the airships would be situated. He said it would not be in the public interests to reveal this. He said the proposed contract would include a clause to permit the constructors to repurchase the ship -from the Air Ministry at a reduced figure on the completion of satisfactory trials.' A condition would be that it should Tie operated in connection ■with an approved British commercial airship service, and be available for use by the State. The Prime Minister added that the existing airship stations at Cardington and Bulham would remain the property of the" State instead of passing into private hands. The ownership of the new base overseas would be also vested in the State. A three years' programme only would be authorised in the first instance. It was estimated that the expenditure in that three years would not exceed £1,200,000. A supplementary estimate in this connection would shortly be submitted. —(Reuter.)