NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19718, 18 August 1927, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

AVIATION IN THE EMPIRE. The progress of British air services was reviewed recently by Air Vice-Mar-shal Sir Sefton Brancker, in an address to the Royal Colonial Institute. Recalling that the cross-Channel service to the Continent had been in operation since 1919, he said:—"We have lately embarked on communication between Cairo and India. Last January wo started a regular service from Cairo as far as Basra We are only awaiting the conclusion of negotiations with Persia to get on to. India, Persia having objected to British flying along the Persian Gulf The proposal is that when the service reaches Karachi the Indian Government will carry on the good work across to Calcutta and Rangoon. From Rangoon the service will extend to Singapore, which latter will, I think, be the Imperial Government's responsibility. It is hoped the Australians will work up from Australia to Singapore; it has already several efficient services, and from Port Darwin the connection would bo comparatively easy. In. Africa, also, we have started work by an experimental service between Khartoum and the nearest point on Lake Victoria to Nairobi, a distance of 1300 to 1400 milos. Since 1919 we have had four fatal accidents in the regular British air transport, and since Christmas, 1924, wo have flown 2,100.000 miles without a scratch to a passenger. When you hear of people saying that flying is dangerous, ask tjhem to consider the French railways or the London streets. Last July, August and September in London 269 people were killed and 26,700 injured. BRITAIN'S LAGGING BEHIND. Sir Sefton Brancker said other nations have been doing great things in the matter of aviation. "During 1926 Great Britain did 791,000 miles, France 3,600,000, Germany 3,800,000. Thus, although we are a nation to whom air transport can be of the greatest value, yet in actual development we are right behind, except in quality. Our pilots are, undoubtedly, superior to those of any other nation. Why are we behind ? First of all, we are very conservative, we do not take to new things. The second reason is our insular position. Although we have this great Empire, there are really few people who think Imperially. There are 73 services in and out of Berlin every day, and they are subsidised by the Government. Of course, air transport does not pay and, therefore, its activities are limited. It is, however, obvious that, with an Empire such as ours, we must go on. I believe that in 20 years, air transport will be as much a part of civilised life as is the telephono to-day. The telephone is about 46 years old. It was difficult to start. It was blocked and hampered by the Government, which wanted a monopoly To-day, how could you possibly carry on without the telephone? The aeroplane is 23 years old; think of what it will bo in another 23 years. When air transport does pay, it is certain that the nation which is most efficient and most developed will reap a rich reward.'' SPIRITUAL PEERS. A suggestion that any scheme for reform of the House of Lords should provide for representation of other churches as well as the Church of England was discussed by tho Archbishop of Canterbury in a speech in the House recently. He recalled that the question was examined by Lord Roseberry's committee in 1903 and though it approved the principle, that committee was unable to formulate any recommendations to achieve the object. " Tho subject is one of insuperable difficulty," said the archbishop. " There are somo fiftyeight Churches or Communions in this country of one kind and another. There is no central body of any kind which claims to represent them all or to be able to speak in their name. The voting by such a number of Communions independently is obviously out of the question. There is another difficulty In all these Communions, except the Roman Catholic Church, tho chief men at tho head occupy their positions for one year or, at most, for two years, and the moment that you begin to look for the right man to represent the whole community you will discover how great and complicated the question is. Ido riot want to exclude such people.. On the contrary, I believe it would be (lie greatest possible gain that we should have them here. But I have honestly failed so far —and I have taken part in discussions about it for ten years—to find any mode by which we could produce the results that we desire.''