NAVAL AIRCRAFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1932, Page 5

NAVAL AIRCRAFT.

APPEAL FOR INCREASE. GOVERNMENT PRESSED FOR FINANCE. NAVY LEAGUE DEPUTATION. Although the Government has in nriiul the purchase of additional machines to augment the air arm of the Navy, it is pressed for finance, and consequently cannot do all that it would like. This reply was given by the Minister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in replying to the deputation from the New Zealand branch of the Navy League, which waited upon the Prime Minister, and which he attended, states the ''Dominion." The deputation urged that the air arm should be strengthened, but both the Prime Minister and Mr. Cobbe explained the difliculties facing the Government as far as the provision of necessary finance was concerned. '"The league, through its branch in Auckland, has maintained cloc-e touch with the Air Force Base at Hobsonville, -, said the Dominion secretary of the league. Mr. K. Darroch. "As the result of a report of a recent visit to the by the president and executive council, the present position leaves much to be desired. The Navy League desires to urge the Government to make more adequate provision for the Hoot air arm branch of the Air Force, and suggests that two large Hying boats should be provided, or failing this that additional Fairey 111. F's should be obtained. One is urgently necessary as a standby for the existing machine.

"It fc also suggested that the workshops of the base should be equipped, that additional personnel should be enlisted, and that adequate service wireless equipment siiould be provided in place of the extemporised equipment in use at present. The return of H.M.s. Dunedin to the station will make additional demands upon the fleet air arm.

"There are four territorial Air Force squadrons, of which two are bombing squadrons and two arc for army cooperation. No provision has been made for territorial naval co-operation. There are now undoubtedly plenty of pilots who have been trained by the clubs who could be given service training for cooperation with the Navy. The Wellington Aero Club alone trained 2G pilots in its last year."

The Prime Minister said the suggestions made by the league were worthy of every consideration. The league had always done ite best to help the Government, and he believed the present representations were made in that spirit. The whole question was one of finance, and although it might be an attractive idea to build up a large force, funds might not permit this being done.

The Minister of Defence said that as far as the air arm of the Navy was concerned there had not been a very large reduction in expenditure. In fact, naval expenditure would this year be about twice the amount spent on land defence. Apart from the machines at Hobsonville there was a large number at Wigram. The Department contemplated the purchase of extra machines, but the financial question had to be considered. He had visited Devonport with the commodore last week and he had found things in a most satisfactory state.