AIR TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 121, 23 May 1940, Page 12

AIR TRAINING

EMPIRE SCHEME

NEW ZEALAND'S QUOTA

ALMOST 3000 MEN A YEAR

WORK OF GROUND STAFF

Under the Empire air-training scheme, New Zealand, by the end of this year, will have an annual output of 900 fully-trained pilots, 500 partially-trained pilots, and 1500 observers and air gunners,: all of whom will complete " their training in Canada. This, announcement. was made today by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) when paying a tribute to the work being done by the ground staff of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Many applications had been received from these men on the ground staff to be allowed to serve overseas, said the Minister, but as New Zealand, Canada, and Australia were. combining with the British Government in an immense training scheme to ensure an adequate supply of pilots and aircrews for the Royal Air Force, it had not been possible to release ground personnel for. service : abroad. Under, the . Empire". air training scheme,, the.maximum- combined, effort of the British Commonwealth was /devoted to the problem of. training, and almost half of the total requirements of air crews may be trained far from the zone of active operations and therefore entirely free from anemy interference. TAKING FULL SHARE. "New Zealand is taking her full share in this training scheme and when the expansion is completed at the end of this year, the annual output will be 900 pilots fully trained, 500 pilots partially trained, and 1500 observers and air gunners partially trained, all of whom will complete their training in Canada," said • Mr. Jones. "It may not be generally appreciated that a large staff of ground personnel is required to man the various schools necessary to carry out our training commitments. All these men are performing an essential service and are contributing most effectively to the successful prosecution of the war. Without their wholehearted and effective co-operation, it would be absolutely impossible for New Zealand to provide her quota under the Empire air-training scheme. It must be obvious to everyone that unless adequate reinforcements are provided for the Royal Air Force that service cannot keep up the high pressure against the Germans, which they are doing at the present time."