EMPIRE AIR SCHEME

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 November 1939, Page 8

EMPIRE AIR SCHEME

CANADA AS MAJOR POWER. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] NEW YORK.. October 30. s ....T?he . .Ottawa- -correspondent of- the “New York Times” says: “The conference next week-end is expected to consider practical details of training and the financing of the scheme. The training machines will be actual fighters, bombers, ’and reconnaissance aeroplanes. . “Apparently hopes of procuring the machines with which to start the scheme are pinned on tlie United States. Fifteen hundred machines are likely to be ordered for a start. “The plan is expected to reach its peak in 12 to 18 -months,-ranking Canada as a major air Power, since she will have at least 5000 aeroplanes and 10,000 airmen operating at 100 aerodromes.”

The correspondent adds: “Thus the responsibility which the United . States assumed when Mr. Roosevelt guaranteed Canada against conquest is lightened.” . .

POLISH “ACE” ENLISTS.

WINNIPEG,. October 30.

John Rzepka, 48, a Pole and a former member of von Richthofen’s air “circus” for two years, has enlisted in the Canadian Air Force. AUSTRALIAN PLANS MANUFACTURE OF ENGINES SYDNEY, October 31. It was annouriced to-night, after the Federal Cabinet meeting, that the whole of Australia’s Air Force plans have been re-cast. This is the result of conferences between the Australian and the British Governments,

The Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, said that the Air Expeditionary Force, which is still in process of formation, would not, be sent abroad. Instead, Australia’s future air plans would depend on the decisions at the Canadian conference. He stated the immediate assistance that Australia would .give the British Government would be to leave in England the nine,. Sunderland flying-boats [ that are due to be sent to Australia, and, in addition, to provide seventeen officers -and 166 airmen as crews, who are to become an Australian Reconnaissance Squadron. The British Government, he said, had requested that Australia should continue, to manufacture large plane engines of the type required for the Beaufort planes, both for internal use, 'and for export, which would mean a tremendous..expansion of the aircraft industry, in Australia. Mr. Menzies added that every effort would now be put forward to speed up the construction of engines of the fighter type.

IMMEDIATE ACTION APPROVED

SYDNEY, November 1.

~Mr, Menzies announced that Cabinet had approved the establishment without delay of a factory for the manufacture of large aeroplane engines, to supply not only the requirements of Australia, but also in part those of Britain and the other Dominions.

MR. FAIRBAIRN INTERVIEWED

(Reqd.,Novi 1,-2 p.m.) >■ NEW YORK, October 31.

Mr. Fairbairn arrived by air at Los Angeles, extremely bad weather necessitating the cancellation of his planned flight to Ottawa to-night. He told the Associated Press that he inspected the Lockheed factories on the Pacific Coast, especially the planes which are being made for Australia, which are very satisfactory. He was also impressed by the methods of civil aviation, as demonstrated on the Trans-Continental flight. He said that he had really little more information now concerning the Canadian training scheme than when he left Australia, all depending on the decisions being reached at the Ottawa conference. Mr. Fairbairn will entrain late to-night.

P. AND T. DIRECTOR

SYDNEY, October 31

The Federal Cabinet sitting in Sydney to-day.appointed Mr. Daniel McVey Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs in succession to Sir Harry Brown, who has accepted a lucrative appointment with a. city electrical house.