Lord Nathan To Be Replaced?

Northern Advocate, 12 January 1948, Page 3

Lord Nathan To Be Replaced?

LONDON, Sun (10 a.m.).—The Sunday Dispatch expects that the Minister o{ Civil Aviation (Lord Nathan) will be replaced before a major reorganisation of BOAC is effected.

According to the paper’s political correspondent the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir Stafford Cripps), the Minister of Defence (Mr A. V. Alex- ! ander) and the Minister of Supply (Mr G. R. Strauss) will form a Cabinet committee to investigate British airway losses. The inquiry will follow a report to the Cabinet on Tuesday from the Minister of Civil Aviation, (Lord Nathan) on action to amalgamate the operating branches of the three air corporations. The report will propose that the British Overseas Airways Corporation should use the Tudor I on the North Atlantic route and is likely to cause a storm in the industry. STORM CENTRE It is believed that there is bound to be a fairly drastic saving on Empire and Far East routes. The main storm will centre in the use of Tudor airliners. It is understood that Sir Stafford Cripps and Mr Strauss insist that, in view of the capital outlay, Tudors must be used, although Cabinet opinions differ. Nevertheless, the majority of Cabinet favours using British machines until the export trade in British aircraft recovers. The aircraft industry is also important as a basis of defence. It is expected that, consequently, the exchequer will set' new limits to subsidisation in the technical field. The Sunday Express says the first accounts of British South American Airways are expected to show a profit of about £40,000 for the eight months covered —about £4 per passenger. The chief executive officer (Air Vice Marshal D. C. Bennett) revealed that the Government has given no financial aid in the development of the routes.