AIR ESTIMATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 55, 6 March 1935, Page 7

AIR ESTIMATES.

BRITISH INCREASE

YEARS PROGRAMME. Expenditure £3,685,500 Higher. STRENGTH 106£ SQUADRONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, March 5. The Air Estimates for 1935 were issued this morning. They total £23,851,100 gross, an increase of £3,085,500 oil those of last year. In a memorandum accompanying the estimates, the Air Minister, the Marquess of Londonderry, points out that the Government made it plain when publishing the Air Estimates for 1934 that it could not, ill the interests of national and Imperial security, accept the position of continuing inferiority in the air.

Accordingly, last summer, in view of tho rapid development of foreign Air Forces and the absence of concrete results from the Disarmament Conference, the Government reluctantly decided that it had no option but to undertake the long-delayed expansion of the Royal Air Force, The programme announced to Parliament last July provided for an addition of 41A squadrons by the end of 1038, and when completed the total fust-line strength of the Royal Air Force in regular squadron's would lie approximately 1330 aircraft, plus some 130 aircraft in non-regular squadrons. New Squadrons Forming. Four of the -11.'. additional squadron* were formed in ISKS4, and a further -•"> arc to be formed in l!>:ir> and 193 H. In VMi~> twelve new squadrons will be added to the home defence force, which will then consist of ">-l squadrons, 41 regular and the remainder auxiliary Air Force or special reserve squadrons. The fleet air arm will be increased by lfl first-line aircraft. The li) existing squadrons will also be re-equipped in the course of the year. The new formations will >-n\>o the total strength of the Royal Air Force, including the fleet air arm, to the equivalent of 100.J squadrons, being fl.'i.l regular squadrons supplemented by 13 non-regular squadrons of tho home defence force. Air Pact of Utmost Value. The programme is being so arranged that it will he possible to retard or accelerate it in accordance with the requirements of the international situation. The Government believes that the conclusion of the proposed air pact to afford security against aerial aggression in Western Europe would be of the utmost value in the maintenance of European peace, and it earnestly hopes the pact may facilitate an early limitation of the air forces of the world by general international agreement.

CIVIL- FLYING. Development of Empire Air Routes. £82,000 INCREASE IN VOTE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March r>. Dealing with civil flying in the course of the memorandum accompanying the Air Estimates, the Marquess of Londonderry states that the net increase shown in the total vote for civil aviation is £82,000 over the 1934 figure. This is due mainly to the necessity for improvement and development of ground organisations on the Empire air routes and to facilitate operation . by night as well as day. Improved ground organisation will also assist in the inception of the projected Empire air transport .scheme for the carriage of all first-class mails by air whenever possible.

Negotiations are in progress for an air service to connect Hongkong with the main Australian route at Bangkok, and plans are under consideration for linking British West African colonies with the trunk route to South Africa.

It lias not yet • been possible to inaugurate the projected air service to connect Bermuda with New York, but it is hoped it will be in operation towards the end of this year or early in 1930.

The subsidy to light aeroplane clubs is increased to £25,000, compared with £10,000 last year.