FLIGHT TO NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20594, 19 June 1930, Page 10

FLIGHT TO NEW ZEALAND

JOURNEY FROM ENGLAND.

AIIH FORCE PROPOSAL*

USE OF A FLYING-BOAT.

PURCHASE OF CRAFT URGED.

[BJ TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday.

The Director of Air Services, WingCommander Grant Dalton, stated to-day that hei intended to make a strong recommendation to the Minister of. Defence that a Southampton Super-marine flyingboat be purchased for the New Zealand Air Force, and that one of the two officers at present serving at the Hobsonville air base bo sent Home to fly the boat to New Zealand. The scheme had tha approval, of Major-Generai Young, and had been discussed long before the matter of defence cuts had arisen. It would be impossible to carry it out if the cuts were put into operation. " Both officers are fully qualified navigators and expert flying-boat pilots," said Wing-Oommander Grant Dalton. " The performance of such a trip would gain for our force a unique honour, for the England to New Zealand trip is one of the few that has not been done." The cost of shipping the flying boat to New Zealand would bo about £2OOO. To fly it out would cost about £3OOO, but the extra £IOOO entailed would be well worth while. There was no doubt that the trip would soon be done. It was a case of " getting in quickly" if the honour was to go to the New Zealand Air Force.