AIR ESTIMATES

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1939, Page 5

AIR ESTIMATES

A RECORD FIGURE

’ ENORMOUS AMOUNT INVOLVED.

(Per British Official Wireless.)

(Received this day at 11.28 a.m.) RUGBY, March 9

In introducing the air estimates totalling £220,626,700, the largest esti- ; mates in the history of the Air Ministry, Sir. Kingsley Wood reminded the House of Commons that in; 1934, the air estimates were about £18,000,000. This year they were about 12 times greater than any year from 1929 to 1934, and rcughly double the aggregate expenditure on the three services in 1932 and 1933. This year’s increase alone amounted to £74,000,000 and coming after a succession of increases was equal to the total cost of all defence services in 1913.

He explained that the heavy expenditure this; year was due mainly to the large number of modern aircraft now coming into the squadrons and the cost of providing additional manufacturing capacity and the construction of new stations. • > < •

jlt s was for,' too, by unexpectedly good ‘ progress l in ’ speeding uo production, and an unexpectedly enthusiastic; response’ to 'dn abpfeal 1 for recruits. ; • ■ ;**D G-dt

They were now spending £250,000 daily on the production of aircraft alone, and production would be increased still further.

; In November; he had said the output would be at the rate of 150 per cent, higher than 12 months earlier. That 150 per cent, increase had already been achieved and he hoped that the fourfold increase in the fate of production, which he promised for May,’l94o, would be achieved by next December.

, He could say with confidence that in the types of machines now' being issued to bomber and fighter squadrons, the country possessed ydi at lie believed to be the world’s best.