ROYAL AIR FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19892, 10 March 1928, Page 11

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

INCREASED VOTE SOUGHT.

ARM ATTACHED TO FLEET.

UNITS NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received March 9, 5,5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. LONDON, March 8. The Air Estimates for 1928 show a net total of £16,250,000, compared with £15,550,000 last year, an increase of £700,000. In a memorandum the Secretary of State for the Air Ministry, Sir Samuel Hoare, explains that, omitting special appropriations, there is a gross decrease of £851,000 notwithstanding the provision of £200,000 for the expansion of the fleet air arm. This decrease had been effected in a year in which the Royal Air Force as a distinct fleet air arm had been enlarged by two new Sights of flying-boats and . the formation of two new. squadrons, in India. The two new flights brought the air units allotted to fleet work to 25 flights. Considerable progress had been made by the co-operation in uniformity of the Dominions' air forces, which was discussed at the last Imperial Conference. Officers who had joined the Royal Air Force on short service commissions after initial training in Australia had proved themselves valuable and efficient.

BENEFIT TO BUDGET.

CUTS IN THE ESTIMATES.

TOTAL MAY BE £27,000,000.

(British Official Wireless.) A. and N.Z. RUGBY, March 8.

Some of the newspapers say they anticipate that the Navy Estimates will show a decrease of £750,000, and that a total decrease of £13,000,000 in the expenditure of the defence services, civil services, customs and excise and the Home Office (which totals about £407,000,000) will be disclosed. The prospective cuts of £500,000 in the Army Estimates and £750,000 in the Navy, coupled with £12,000,000 in the civil services will give the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Churchill, a prospect of taking about £13,000,000 off the Budget departmental commitments, where savings on sinking fund may swell the cuts to £27,000,000.