BRITISH AIR SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16233, 19 May 1916, Page 4

BRITISH AIR SERVICE.

The vindication of the British air service and the collapse of the charges made against it should put a check, for a time at least, upon sensationalism in political criticism. Mr. Pemberton Billing won a seat in the House of Commons by convincing the electors of East Herts that he knew of many grievous shortcomings in the equipment of the air service, and that he would insist upon improvement. He signalised his appearance in the House by making sensational allegations which he persisted in repeating in face of emphatic denials by the responsible Minister. A Commission of Inquiry was set up, but Mr. Billing made no attempt to substantiate his charges. He chose the safer ground of the floor of the House of Commons, but the patience of members had been exhausted and the absentees were so numerous that Mr. Billing's speech could not be delivered because there was no quorum to listen to it. The snub was well-merited. Whatever faults the British Government may have they are not to be remedied by such wild talk as Mr. Billing has indulged in. The best feature of the whole business is that the charges levelled at the air service have been shown to be without foundation; the worst is that in the middle of a great war a seat in Parliament can be won by a man of the type of Mr. Billing and by the methods which' he adopts.