IMPERIAL AIR POLICY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 May 1926, Page 10

IMPERIAL AIR POLICY.

TRANS-OCEAN SERVICES. In flic debate on the Air Estimates, says a London correspondent, Sir Harry Brittain, M. 8., made an appeal for an Empire air policy. He considered that a committee should be set up to investigate the whole question of Empire a\iation and made a statement as to what could be done in commercial hying under the Union Jack, and its possible relation to Empire commerce, development, and defence. "I am convinced,” he said, "that if the matter were dealt with on a large scale we should not. only require subsidies, but that aviation in a few years could be made to pay well. At the present moment the foreigner is busy. I do not blame him at all, but I do not like to see him busy at our expense. He is endeavouring to compete against us in the British Dominions as well as elsewhere.” Sir Harry explained what had already been done' in the various Dominions. “Because we have here,” he continued, “a difficult climate with only short distances, from the point of view of flying, that must in no way warp our judgment from the point of view of doing our best to develop aviation overseas. Years ago, and throughout the Middle Ages, in fact, the British navy was built up by the .Mercantile Marine, and L do not see any reason why the air force stand-by of to-morrow should not be the merchant air service. AVo shall see, I am quite convinced, in a very few years’ time, a tremendous move forward in the building of airships. They will, of course, form the long-distance, non-stop, trans-oceanic service, and aeroplanes will be the auxiliaries in different parts of the Empire. I think it is quite impossible to exaggerate, from the point of view of inter-Empire air communication, what a good airship service would mean between the Motherland and the Dominions. I understand that it is the intention of the Air Ministry eventually to have a fleet of twelve —eight.running and four in overhaul —and that we hope to be able to accomplish the distance between London and Australia eventually in 9A days’ flying, either by Karachi or the Cape. This will enable passengers, mails, and parcels to go from England to Australia in something like a third, or well under a third, of the time occupied now, and to be distributed from the termini on arrival by a good civil aeroplane service.”

After making some suggestions as t° where services inisjlit be installed in various parts of the Empire, Sir Harry Brittain -said lie was certain that private enterprise would come in if the Government would only give sympathetic help and advice. “I think we might do worse than take warning from Central Europe. Airlines there are extending in all directions. France and Germany and Czecho-Slovakia all believe, and believe whole-heartedly, in the future of civil aviation. In France there is an Air League of over 1,000.000 members, whereas in Great Britain it has been hard work to raise 5000 members. We are failing behind at the present time, and it is only (his House which is able to give the right encouragement. To be effective, we must have an Empire policy. I believe that, this can be done, and I hope that flic right lion, gentlemen will see that some such points as a working unit for the Empire will be placed before the Imperial Conference. In regard to this last .matter Sir Samuel Hoare intimated that he was already arranging the air agenda for the Imperial Conference, and he could assure the hon. member that lie would take into full account the very interesting observations lie had made in the course of the debate.