100 AEROPLANES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 135, 10 June 1919, Page 8

100 AEROPLANES

OFFERED TO EACH DOMINION

WORTH AT LEAST £600,000

WILL NEW ZEALAND ACCEPT?

Considerable interest was aroused in Wellington to-day concerning the announcement cabled from South Africa that the Imperial Government has decided to offer 100 aeroplanes to each Dominion requiring them, with the object of enabling such Dominions to establish aerial forces and thereby develop the aerial defences of the Empire. Speculation .is being indulged in as to what action the New. Zealand Government is likely to take in this connection —whether it will accept, the whole or - part of the offer. A cable'message received on Saturday stated that the Imperial Government's offer was a free gift to the Dominions, and the types of the machines given would be according to the desires of recipients, the Imperial Government hoping to meet all their wishes. The facts that the New Zealand Government is contemplating the establishment of an aerial postal service and, that Lieutenant-Colonel Vere Bettington, C.M.G R.A.F., the aerial expert specially sent out from Home, is at present in New Zealand advising the Government upon the naval, military, and civil aspects of flying, lend colour to the conclusion that so far as this Dominion is concerned an early acceptance of the offer in whole or in part is not at all improbable. A Post reporter to-day interviewed! Colonel ' Bettington on the subject. Colonel Bettington stated that, being in the position of confidential adviser, he could, of course, say very little for publication. . A twin-engine HandleyPage machine cost about £9000, while smaller machines, such as single engine scouts, ran into about £2000 each. Assuming that the 100 aeroplanes offered to each Dominion comprised, say, half of each, , the value of the Imperial Government's offer to each Dominion with spares was worth at least £600,000. A previous cable indicated that there was likely to' be a scramble for the machines among the Dominions., This might or might not prove to be the case, but in any event it was obvious that the Dominion which got in first would get the pick of the machines. Any Dominion desirous' of accepting the offer would therefore be well advised to ar- ( rive at a decision pretty quickly. Asked whether- ho thought New Zealand should accept the whole or part of the 100 machines offered, Colonel Bettington said that was a policy matter which he would not discuss. Questioned further, Colonel Bettington stated that the two "D.H.4's" and Bristol Fighters which were being sent out to the Dominion had been held up in England owing to lack of shipping space, but were expected to be shipped during the first weeJc in June.