BRITAIN WILL LEAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25086, 27 December 1944, Page 3

BRITAIN WILL LEAD

POST-WAR AIR LINES WHAT AMERICANS LACK "We shall beat the American in the air without the slightest doubt," declared Brigadier-General A. 0. Critchley, Director-General of the British Overseas Air Corporation, at a discussion arranged by the Royal Aeronautical Society on civil aviation at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers iu London recently. Lord Brabazon of Tara presided. "We shall beat him," General Critchley went on, "because we know how to look after our customers better than he does, and we have the men to do it. There is not that particular class in the American make-up—they all want to be President after selling newspapers." Service meant leadership, and that had to he hammered home to all airline personnel if Great Britain were to lead the world, as it well could in civil aviation. In America service meant servility, and they had no real idea of service to the passenger as we understood it. Best Pilots and Crews "We have," ho said, "the best civil pilots and air crews in the world, and i am determined, through recruitment and training, to bring our organisation up to their standard in order that as one combined happy working team we can leading tho world in aviation as Great Britain has always done in things that really count." Recruits were wanted for pilots and air crews, mechanics and ground crews They must come from the R.A.E., as largely would traffic and administrative personnel and station managers. "Ittakes more than a year," he said, "to transform even the best operational pilot, with thousands of hours of combat flying to his credit, into a fully qualified civil airline captain." Station managers, however, were rather a race apart. These had to represent tho 8.0.A.C. in their areas and meet kings, ambassadors, governors, and even American businessmen.

As to the training, generally, this could not be carried out except by the creation of a first-class civil aviation school. The R.A.F. larger establishments, with all their good flying and other facilities, should he taken over, All-Weather Punctuality

Major Thornton, said that allweather punctuality was one of the biggest problems in the aeroplane as a public vehicle. The institution of an all-weather service was of tremendous importance.

Although the aeroplane had nothing or little to steal from other merchandise carriers, it would create a new traffic, which should take the form of a daily delivery of the articles wanted fresh and daily, such as newspapers, mail, or Cornish cream. Trout could be brought fresh from Switzerland. It was ridiculous to say that air transport must always be subsidised. Assuming there were subsidies, 'they should be such as to leave all operators on a common competitive level.

BRITAIN'S SCHOOLS

BIGGER AND BRIGHTER NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS LONDON. Dec. 20 Standards proposed for Britain's schools of the future are far in advance of present general conditions. The new requirements are sot out in draft building regulations which, with the new Education Act, will come into force on April 1 next year. They lay down a minimum area for a school site, including playground, varying from half an acre for the smallest primary school to three acres for a secondary school. Playing fields ranging from half an acre for the smallest primary to 14 acres for a large secondary school must also be provided. A site for a nursery school must include garden and playing space of not less than one-third of an acre for up to 40 children. It is assumed that there will be a progressive reduction in the size of classes to a maximum of 40 in primary and 30 in secondary schools. The maximum for a nursery class will be 30.

For secondary schools a wide range of accommodation is specified, including practical rooms, art and craft rooms, library, assembly hall and gymnasium.

The Times says, in a leading article: "Most of Britain's nursery, primary and secondary schools are so old and out of date that replacement is the only justifiable course. Any idea that the draft regulations propose unwarrantably luxurious premises may be at once dismissed. They set rio higher standards than are obligatory if the children are to receive effective education." A VERY OLD IDEA PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS Everybody knows that "prefabricated" houses of various kinds will become temporary homes for thousands when the war ends. Kow peoplo, howover, know that prefabricated' buildings were known as far back as 1481, says a writer in the Times Educational Supplement. In that year King John of Portugal began the practice of sending out trading ships equipped with special prefabricated forts as protection against the natives with whom they dealt. One of these forts, rebuilt and modernised, is actually still in use today at Elinina Castle, in the Gold Coast, being at present the homo of some recruits of the West African Air Corps. MORGENTHAU PLAN

"Prior to the announcement of the Morgenthau plan to reduce Germany to an agricultural nation stripped of all industry tho Germans were surrendering in droves; now they are fighting like demons," said Senator Johnson (Democrat) in a recent speech in Washington. "The announcement of this poorly-con-ceived plan played directly into the bloody purposes of Hitler and Goebbels. It has cost and will continue to cost us a frightful,loßS»Hife«"-