DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19460, 16 October 1926, Page 13

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

INCREASED EXPENDITURE

RELATIONS OF SERVICES.

DEVELOPMENT OF AIRSHIPS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright,,

(Received 10.30 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Oct. 14

Questions of defence, which will come before the Imperial Conference were referred to in a speech by Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of State for the Air Ministry. He said that Britain, although saving wherever possible had spent £116,500,000 a year upon defence compared with £77,000,000 in 1913-14. The cost of the fighting services, however, rose only 51 per cent., compared with the cost of living increase of 72 per cent. The co-operative relations of the three services had never been better. All overlapping had been combated, but tho dividing of the air service between the army and navy would duplicate the expenditure on organisation. A Ministry of Defence uniting the three services, however attractive it might be in future, was at present uneconomical and unpractical, owing to there being insufficient unity of feeling among the services.

The Minister said efforts were directed to employing the resources for the needs of the Empire as a whole, expeditiously effecting the necessary transfers and assuring the highest mobility, which was particularly the basis ef the air policy, hence the reason for developing airships to transport men ancll aeroplanes to the most distant parts of the Empire. Recent long flights were practico with that object in view.