AIRCRAFT PURCHASES IN U.S.A.

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 11

AIRCRAFT PURCHASES IN U.S.A.

Significance Of British Orders SOLVING PROBLEM OF WAR DEBTS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, July 8. There is a good deal piore tlian meets the eye in the placing of British orders for aircraft in the hands of American manufacturers, according to Mr William J. Wilbnr, of New York, who passed through Auckland by the Monterey en route for Sydney to-day. In his opinion it represents the first part in the liquidation of the war debts owed by Britain to the United States, and is significant of the close harmony in which the two nations are working. The United States Government saw in the character and personality of Mr. Joseph P. Kennedy an opportunity of driving a wedge through the war debts problem, Mr. Wilbur said. Mr. Kennedy was appointed United States Ambassador to Great Britain and before long it was announced that the British Government had placed orders for large batches of American aero-, planes for trainer and reconnaissance purposes. It was estimated by observers that one American aircraft corporation was £1,000,000 behind its schedule so choked were the orderbooks with orders from England. The United States, apart from the purely commercial aspect of those orders, ‘ realised the value of Britain s friendship and realised, too, the necessity for giving her every assistance in hoi- national defence plan. For those reasons the major aircraft factories, were working day and night in America to catch up with the demand. Mr. Wilbur said he believed if was symptomatic of the close ties which bound the two countries.