AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18458, 23 July 1923, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE.

THE MEW ESTABLISHMENT. TWO BRANCHES. provided, .youngrecruits ACCEPTED , Full formal provision for the r constitution and control of the Royal Australian Air Force is made in the Air Defence Bill, which the Commonwealth Minister for Defence, Mr. Bowden, recently introduced in the House of Representatives. /As far as legislation can do it, this provides a framework for the aerial defence of Australia. It now remains (says the Sydney Sun) for life to be breathed into the dead bones.- ,;i ; War. experience, showed that airmen must be caught young. If thoy are under 21, so much the better, other things being equal. v / Due allowance is made for this in the Bill, This sots out that any person under 21 may, with the consent in writing of his parent or guardian, enlist in the Air Force and that the period for which he is enlisted shall not exceed the time required for him to attain the age of 30. When he has gone into the force the "person" may, except in time of war, apply for discharge before the period for which he enlisted is up, provided he gives a month's notice in writing. But if the airman is an officer he must give three months' notice of intention to resign his commission. An officer who has been trained for service as a pilot cannot resign, except with the approval of the Air Board, until he has completed eight years' service. ; One inducement held out is that members of the permanent Air Force are exempted from serving as jurors, whether under Commonwealth Or State law. Under the ; Bill the Air Force is divided into two branches. The first is the permanent Air Force, consisting of "full-time" air officers and men. The second is the Citizen Air Force, consisting of the active Citizen Air Force and the reserve. •

The Citizen Air Force is composed of officers and airmen who are not bound to continuous air service in times of peaco, and who are paid accordingly, and of trainees who elect to bo trained in the Air Force, tor are selected by the Air Board. The reserve will be made up of men transferred from the active forces. ; ■*: , - ' ■■•>;_:'_./ Members of the Citizen Air Force are liable to be employed on war service only when, called tout by proclamation. Members of the Air Force may be required to serve for training in any air service either -within or beyond the limits of the Commonwealth. ': ; ' ; ■ When the Governor of a State • proclaims .that domestic violence exists in the State, and the Executive 1 applies to the Commonwealth ••■: for protection, the Gov-ernor-General may call out the permanent Air Force, and, if necessary, the Citizen Air Force, to deal with tha disturbance. It is provided, however, that the Citizen Air Force shall not be called out in connection with an industrial dispute. :••. Members of the Air Force are' given the full benefit of courtsmartial.