EMPIRE LOSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 237, 7 October 1930, Page 7

EMPIRE LOSS.

VALUABLE EXPERTS. Touching Tributes by Leading Statesmen. AVIATION SERVICES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October 6. At the Labour'party's conference, which opened to-day at Llandudno, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, said that the RlOl catastrophe was in a ccrtain respect unprecedented in the history of civil aviation. The extent of the loss suffered could be gathered from the fact that the United Kingdom, as well as Australia and India, had lost not only devoted workers, and loyal and "capable officers, but highly trained experts whose great knowledge and experience would be most difficult, if not impossible, to replace. / 1 When the heads of the delegations to the Imperial Conference met to-day, their first act was to pass the following resolution:— "We, tlie members of the Imperial Conference, clesire to place on record our great sorrow at the disaster to the airship RlOl, and the loss of so many brave and valuable liyes. On behalf of all parts of the. British Commonwealth we pay homage to the gallant men who have given their lives as pioneers in the cause of human progress, and we wish to express our heartfelt grief for their bereaved families. To our chairman Ave offer our deep sympathy at tln\ loss of a distinguished colleague and well-loved friend." The meeting stood in silence to pass the resolution. It had been moved by the Canadian Prime Minister. Mr. R. B. Bennett, briefly expressed his sense of irreparable loss sustained in the death of so many pioneers of aerial navigation. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Seullin, in seconding the motion, said that only last Friday he had met Lord Thomson and Sir Sefton Brancker, )vho had been full of enthusiasm on the linking up of Britain and Australia by airways, and he had arranged to discuss the matter further when they had returned from India. Mr. Seullin also made a moving reference to the death of Squadron-Leader Palastra, of the Royal Australian AiiTorcc. Mr. Mac Donald, replying,_ was greatly touched. He said: "Many in this room are Prime Ministers and know what a solitary post it is. Lord Thomson was the dearest of my colleagues. He passed in and out of No. 10, Downing Street, ai a member of the family. He was not only a political bulwark; his door was always open, his table spread and hie fireside ready to welcome me. "You will understand my feelings not only as Prime Minister but as a human being."