AVIATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1918, Page 4

AVIATION

IN COMMERCE AND DEFENCE

The Aviation Bill was read a second time in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon.

Tho Hon. H. F. Wigram stated that ] he quite approved of the Bill as fai- as it went. He would like to see the Go- | vernment go further and establish a Ministry of the Air. Such a Minister would have much to do, even in the way of laying out lines of air navigation. In the North Island, where the country was so mountainous, the work would require much careful preparation, though in the South Island it might be possible to follow a simpler line. In the carriage i of mails proposed by Sir Joseph Ward j this would be an important matter. The surveying of possible landing places and their marking would not be simple. For Defence purposes also there was much to be done in New Zealand by way of airicraft. The mines put down by the Wolf could never have been laid, or at least the locality in which they were laid could have been recorded, had New Zealand had an air service. As it was, tho contest was like one between a man with sight and a Wind man. He hoped the Bill would be followed' up by an even more important measure. . The Hon. W. H. Triggs paid a tribute to the foresight displayed by the Hon. Hi ]?. Wigram when in the Council in 1909 he made reference to the progress in aviation, the vnlue it would be to New Zealand in defence, and the interest that was being taken in. the question in Germany. On the outbreak of war Mr. Wigram endeavoured to induce the Gova-nment to establish a school of aviation, but the hands of the Government were too full with other matters. So strongly did Mr. Wigram feel on tho matter that he took up the question himself, and it was largely owing to his energy that a fine school was established which had sent many men on war service. Mr. Triggs suggested that power j should be given to make regulations to govern conditions of navigation, in the air. The Hon. 0. Samuel said Mr. Wigram was entitled to the gratitude of thepeople of the Dominion for what he had done. Aviation was of the utmost importance to the Dominion defence, which in tho future would have to' depend mainly on submarines and aircraft. ' Sir Francis Bell said he thought the Bill empowered the making of regulations for the control of air navigation. The second reading was agreed to, and .the Bill passed all stages with minor amendments.. |