PETROL FOR AIR RACE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25305, 3 October 1947, Page 8

PETROL FOR AIR RACE

VIEWS OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUPPORT FINALLY GIVEN TO PROJECT Opposition to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce’s giving support to the 1000-mile air race planned by the Canterbury Aero Club was expressed by several members of the council at its meeting last evening. They questioned the value of the race, and suggested that the use of petrol for it w ould conflict with the national appeal for saving petrol. During the discussion Mr A. M. Hollander suggested that the council should obtain a statement from an authority on aviation and the training of pilots before giving its support. Finally the council decided to support the proposal to hold the race as an essential training and refresher exercise for civilian pilots of small aeroplanes, as the race would involve no increase in the amount of petrol used by aero clubs, as it would not be held if the petrol position was acute next year, and as there was a need for maintaining and increasing air efficiency for defence purposes. Mr J. R. Dench, one of the representatives of the Chamber of Commerce on the committee organising the race, said it was not a race, but was virtually a reliability trial. A lot had been said, and quite wrongly said, about the use of petrol, but practically all the aircraft used would be club aircraft. Normally they, would be used, for very much longer than in the race itself. They probably. would be in the air no longer than .if they were doing their job with the aero clubs. “It is definitely not a speed test, but a test of reliability,” said Mr H. C. Hurst. “There is no opportunity at the present time for pilots to have a refresher course. The race is to foster civil aviation and improve public confidence.”

Test of Airmanship 'The president (Mr E. T. Beaven) suggested that the council should support the race. He said it was a test of airmanship, and aviation spirit would be used, not petrol. There was no Territorial Air Force at present, and this was a wonderful opportunity to retain interest in flying. The race was to fester a worthy project. Professor A. H. Tocker said that the president? had put up a good case, but it was a case which, would be very hard to put across to the public. “At present the country is being appealed to for economy in petrol because it has to be paid for in dollars,” he added. “It is going to be hard to convince 90 per cent, of the public of the sincerity of the effort to economise on petrol when this test is being carried out. Aircraft are notoriously hard on petrol. It is-going to be very hard to convince the public.” « Mr Irving Sladen said the only argument in favour of the race was that it was an airmen’s refresher course. The airways wanted pilots, and they could get all the refresher courses they needed at Palmerston North. “No matter what petrol is used, it is costing dollars just the same,” added Mr Siaden. “I can ft see what good can come out of it unless you want an airmen’s refresher course.” Training of Pilots Mr Hollander said that if an air test was essential, it was quite right that it should be held, but there seemed to be doubt about its essentiality. “What people are really concerned about is ‘if I can’t have petrol for joy rides, why should these blokes have it?’ ” he added. “Would anyone suggest that a destroyer due for normal exercises should not have oil because of the oil situation?” asked Mr Dench. “I understand that the Deputy-Chief of Air Staff has actually approved of the race. If we stop it we are going to stymie the Air Force and keep aircraft on the ground. “I think we are just trifling with the question,” added Mr Dench. “As far as public outcry is concerned, the only weighty outcry has been from the so-called Progress League. It is high time we told the Progress League wheie it gets off. It is very wrong to take this attitude on an important matter vitally affecting the nation. We have got to keep our pilots in training, and aircraft should be the last to be deprived of petrol.” »

CONDUCTED TOURS IN BUSES MOTORIST’S LETTER TO BE SENT TO MINISTER ' “There does not seem to be any point in private motorists trying to save petrol if the Government is going to continue to burn it upon pleasure trips,” stated a letter from a member of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) which was received at a meeting of the executive of the association on Wednesday. The writer referred to an advertisement inserted in tile newspapers by the Government Tourist Bureau for a conducted tour of the North Island covering about 2300 miles. “Underneath this are three group travel tqps, one for eight days, and two for nine days in the South Island arranged by Group Travel Association, Limited,” wrote the member. “We have been told that ‘there is no morality among private motorists’ with regard to petrol, but the example given by these advertisements does not encourage private motorists to save. “Apart from this the Railway Bus Services are still running their Sunday excursion trips to Akaroa and Diamond Harbbur.”

The executive decided to thank the member for his letter, and to send a copy of it to the Minister of Supply (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer).

INSTRUCTION TO STATE DEPARTMENTS

All Government departments are making an effort to conserve petrol, and an instruction has been issued that wherever possible departments should combine for long journeys within and outside their areas.

As soon as it became evident that petrol consumption must be reduced to save dollars, Government officers were asked to conserve as much petrol as possible. In Christchurch, a few departments have control over their own cars, but the majority are dependent on motorcars in the public service garage, which, since about 1921, has been controlled by the Post Office, and the Chief Postmaster (Mr D. R. Thomson) said last evening that the garage officials would be able to make arrangements for various departmental officers to share cars when long journeys were necessary.