TO BUILD 'PLANES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 118, 22 May 1939, Page 4

TO BUILD 'PLANES.

WELLINGTON FACTORY

ARRIVAL OF MANAGER

DE HAVTIXAND COMPANY. (Ry Telegraph.—Owt. Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", this day. Plans for the establishment of a factory at Rongotai by the De Havilland Aircraft Cumpany were outlined by Mr. Hugh Buckingham, who arrived from England last week to organise and manage the Xew Zealand ])e Havilland Company. How rapidly and to what ultimate extent the operations of the Xew Zealand company would expand could not be predicted at the moment, said Mr. Buckingham. Much would depend upon the demand for aircraft. Factory plans would permit of a one. two or three-unit building—2ooft x 100 ft, 300 ft x 100 ft, or 400 ft x 100ft—depending upon decisions which would be made known within the next week or so, but whatever the decision the first unit would be 200 ft x 100 ft (larger than the main hangar at Rongotai).

The iiivst '|)latu-s would lie brought, to Xew Zealand practically complete, said Mr. Buckingham; the next batch would be partially assembled, and so on, till at the end of a year the manufacture would be carried out in Xew Zealand to the full extent which materials and skilled labour permitted. Certain processes of manufacture, such as eastinos and fittings in metals of special tensile strengths, would not be attempted in Xew Zealand, nor would steel pressings be made here, for presses, jigs and specialised tools, which could run into a hundred thousand pounds for a single type of aircraft, could not be justified on a small annual output. Engines would not be made here.

Key Men from England. In its early stage* of development the Rongotai factory would employ up to 100 men. said Mr. Buckingham, depending always upon the manner in which the demand for craft opened, a matter which lie could not at the moment discuss. Naturally, in the absence of previous work of similar nature upon any considerable scale, there would lie a period during which it would lie difficult to obtain the necessary number of skilled men. and a certain number of operator.uoi,id have to be brought to New Zealand to caribou the first developments and to act as instructors to New Zealanders. Some might remain in New Zealand permanently; others would return to the Home factory. Tiger Moths, of which a huge number were being built, in Britain* and large numbers in other Dominion factories, and Moth Minors would lii>t be built a I Rongotai, but apart from the assembly am* manufacturing side the establishment of a New Zealand associate company would lie of substantial importance to both civil aviation, by making possible a degree of service not attainable without a local factory, and to the air arm of defence by building a reserve of highly-skilled men.