Empire Air Scheme Impresses N.Z. Negotiators

Northern Advocate, 22 December 1939, Page 4

Empire Air Scheme Impresses N.Z. Negotiators

[Special to “Northern Advocate”] AUCKLAND, This Day.

Greatly impressed with the magnitude of the Empire air training scheme being inaugurated in Canada, the Chief of the New Zealand Air Staff (Group-Captain H. W. L. Saunders, M.C., D.F.C., M.M.), and Mr. T. A. Barrow returned by the Mariposa today after representing the Dominion at the air conference held at Ottawa. While declining to comment on any of the decisions made, or the cost of the scheme to Great Britain and the Dominions concerned, they said that the conversations that had taken place had enabled the delegates to more readily apprecitae the difficulties that the Mother Country and the Dominions had to face in respect to training. Mr, Barrow said he had not had an opportunity of visiting any of the Canadian aerodromes or to view prospective sites for training centres. “We arrived at Ottawa on November 3,” he said. “From then until we left to connect with the Mariposa we were in conference the whole time. “Canada’s willingness to help, and the attitude of the Canadian people towards the scheme were the subjects of enthusiastic comment by all representatives at the conference.”

“I had time to see only one aerodrome,” said Group-Captain Saunders. “It was modern in. every way and the officers and men were keen to get on with the job.” Group-Captain Saunders and Mr: Barrow leave for Wellington tonight.