NAVAL AIRCRAFT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 August 1921, Page 8

NAVAL AIRCRAFT

AUSTRALIA'S FIRST SEAPLANE

LAUNCHED BY MRS HUGHES.

IBY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYBNIHT LONDON, Aug. 12. J Mrs Hughes launched the first seaplane of the Australian naval aircraft at the Fairy aviation works, Southampton. Mr Hughes was not present. General Seely presided, the company including General Branckner, General Sykes, representatives of the air forces, and Major Coates. I General Seely, in proposing "Success to the Commonwealth," coupled with the name of Mrs Hughes, eulogised Mr Hughes' far-sightedness ininstitut- ! ing the Commonwealth Air Force; also the services rendered at the Imperial Conference by Mr Hughes and the other Dominion Premiers, who had stood at Mr Lloyd Gorge's right hand in the recent critical period. General Seely hazarded a conjecture that if there had been no Imperial Conference tkere would have been no move to settle the Irish question. The spectacle of the. Dominions participating as sister States in the Imperial crisis was an invaluable object lesson, which appealed to the Irish leaders. Mr Hunter (Queensland) commented on the Government's foresight in organising seaplanes while the other Dominions were only thinking of them. Six seaplanes would be ready in September, each carrying three people, besides bombs, machine guns, and wifeless. They would be—capable of a speed of 110 miles an hour, being fitted with. Rolls-Royce engines. Mrs Hughes launched' the plane, which successfully flew . over ' "Southampton, carrying four, including^ General Seely and Mrs Coates.