Canberra Purchase Again Before House

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29262, 21 July 1960, Page 14

Canberra Purchase Again Before House

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 20One of the second-hand engines supplied with Canberra aircraft seized up after 99 hours’ running, though the normal period was 413 hours, and another engine was damaged after one hour’s test flying by a piece of foreign matter, said the Minister of Defence (Mr Connolly) in the House of Representatives today. He had been asked by Mr F. L. Gotz (Opposition, Manukau) whether the Canberra aircraft ■were purchased by the previous Government with second-hand engines, and, if so, whether he would order an immediate inquiry and report by the Defence Committee of the House into the whole matter, including the circumstances of their purchase.

. In his written reply the Minister said that when the order was placed with the Air Ministry in August, 1957, it was assumed that the Canberras would be of new production throughout. In September, 1957, advice was received that engines of new production were not available, and that completely reconditioned engines of “new life” standard would be supplied. , It was not proposed to refer the matter to the Defence Committee. Details of Purchase Mr Connolly said that the National Cabinet had approved expenditure of £3,450,670 for the purchase of 11 Canberra aircraft in August, 1957, with 13 spare engines, and the training of the first five crews and key ground staff in the United Kingdom. The British Air Ministry told the New Zealand Air Department in September, 1957, that there were no new engines in production, and only reconditioned ones could be offered, with a financial adjustment The cost of new engines, had they been available, would have been £27,700 each. The cost of reconditioned engines was £19,840 each, a difference of £7860 each, or £212,220 less for all the engines to be supplied. The Government had been advised of these financial adjustments within the last few weeks.

The offer had been accepted by the Air Department apparently without the knowledge of Ministers. Two engines were recently sent to Australia for repair. One seized up after 99 hours’ running since reconditioning. Another was damaged by a foreign particle after an hour’s test flight

Both the National Government’s Defence Ministers (Mr T. L. Macdonald and Mr D. J. Eyre) were reported in the press as saying that they had no recollection of reconditioned engines.

No matter what happened the then Ministers were responsible, especially in such a vital matter as the defence of the country, said the Minister. Minister “Not Informed*' From his inquiries during the last three weeks it was apparent that his predecessor was not informed by the Air Department at the time that the department was notified that new engines were not available for the Canberras. Mr Connolly added: “I am taking steps to ensure that such a situation will not occur again. I would also assure the House and the country that on the advice of our Air Force engineers everything possible will be done to maintain fullest confidence in the quality of these Rolls-Royce engines.”

Mr W. J. Scott (Opposition, Rodney) said that the Minister had fallen flat on his face and looked childish. He had used the occasion to make an attack on his own department . “He fights with all his departments,” added Mr Scott. “It is most unusual to find a Minister of the Crown launching an attack on his own department This is typical of the Minister. He’s fought with every officer he’s got.” Mr T. T. Murray (Opposition, Stratford) said that the Minister could not condemn the previous Government so he condemned his own department and the makers of the engines in England —a firm renowned for the quality of their work. The National Government had fallen in, and he had fallen in.

Mr J. K. McAlpine (Opposition, Selwyn) said the Government had had two years and a half in which to find out that second-hand engines were being put in the Canberras. “The Minister of Defence had inspectors in England while the aircraft were being built Why did they not report to the Government on the engines,” he asked.

Mr Eyre said that the Minister of Defence had thought he was “on the scent of a great scandal” but it had rebounded on him. “Pulled a Boner”

“The Minister talked before he knew the facts. He’s pulled a boner again,” Mr Eyre said. , Mr Eyre quoted a newspaper report in which the commanding officer of No. 14 Canberra Squadron was reported to have Said the second-hand engines were as good as new, or better.

Mr A. J. Faulkner (Government, Roskill) said it was nonsense to claim the engines were as good as new. “Rolls-Royce themselves value the engines at £7OOO each less than new engines,” Mr Faulkner added. Mr J. H. George (Opposition, Otago Central) said someone in New Zealand must have known that the order, concerning the engines, had been changed, and he considered someone in the department had failed in his duty in not notifying the Minister. That serious situation should not be allowed to arise again, he said. Mr C. G. E. Harker (Opposition, Hawke’s Bay) and Mr H. Johnstone. (Opposition, Walpa) both hoped the Minister would change his mind in his stated intention of not referring the matter to the Defence Committee. Mr Johnstone believed the Minister’s reply to the question cleared the previous National Minister of Defence. The Minister of Customs (Mr BoOrd) said the previous Government agreed to purchase the Canberras in September, 1957, and should have known what it was purchasing. “There is just a lot of nonsense being talked when it is suggested that reconditioned engines are as good as new ones.” he said. Mr Boord considered the Opposition was trying to justify the unjustifiable.