EMPIRE AIR SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19736, 8 September 1927, Page 12

EMPIRE AIR SERVICES.

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. COST OF A MOORING TOWER. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN „ CORRESPONDENT. ! WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The programme of Imperial Airways, which aims at inaugurating in a few years commercial nir services between the various parts of the Empire by means of airships, was explained to members of tKe Legislature at Parliament House to-day by the members of the Imperial Airways Mission. The leader of the mission, Group-Cap tain P. F. M. Fellowes, said two airships of 5,000,000 cubic feet capacity each were being built for the inauguration of the proposed services, and in order to provide regular services to Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand the construction of about 20 airships would be necessary. It was hoped to make the trials in England in 1928 and to do this England-Egypt-India trials at the begin ning of 1929. Captain Fellowes said he was author ised to inform the New Zealand Government that it was hoped to make demonstration flights to New Zealand and Australia in 1930, provided Australia and New Zealand erected mooring towers. Of course, if Australia did not do so it would be of no use New Zealand doing anything. On account of the necessity for building up a sufficient fleet and the time it took to construct airships, it must be some time before the programme mapped out could operate fully. . Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) asked the cost of a mooring tower. Flight-Lieutenant Nixon, a member of the mission, replied that the total final cost, including all equipment and the necessary gas-generating plant, would be about £200,000. x The Hon. L. M. lsitt asked how the cost of airship passage would compare with the cost of passage by sea. Flight-Lieutenant Nixon explained the differing circumstances that had to be considered, and said he estimated, after making liberal allowances for various contingencies, that the cost would be about 25 per cent, more than the firstclass passage for a sea voyage. At the request of the Prime Minister, Mr. A. M. Giblett, meteorological specialist, explained that for the purpose of the establishment of an air port in New Zealand it would be necessary to extend considerably the meteorological services throughout the Dominion with a view to providing much more regular reports.