The Future In The Air

NZ Truth, Issue 1229, 20 June 1929, Page 6

The Future In The Air

lUHJ.LE appreciating the aims and effects of international associ- . a'tions arid " conferences of statesmen, and. remembering the abundant good they have achieved, we cannot afford to overlook the significant feature that whatever the teaching, whatever the extent of world-wide under standing, aeronautics and not naval power is to New Zealaud : the paramount element-in our national defence. The Minister of Defence has exhibited a healthy interest m the development of civil aviation, ancL his enthusiasm among the members of newly-born flying squadrons has been tempered with a practical understanding of the many disadvantages under which this country must labor for some little time to come. But the- enthusiasm of one. man, whatever his status and no matter what influence his utterances may have upon the situation, is not sufficient. - AVithout raising the old. bogey of invasion by some Continental • power, without making excuses that we are a young* country and must leap circumspectly, which' in its fitting sense is both true and trite, we should note the precautionary measures adopted and practised by t those Continental powers. Consider Germany, 'for example. So thoroughly and so capably organised are German civil airways, their pilots efficiently trained 'and superintended, that within twenty-four hours after the declaration of war the whole of Germany's aircraft could be mobilised into an effective unit of attack or defence. New Zealand contributes £525,000 each year towards the upkeep of the Singapore Naval base. When Mr. Wilford made this pronouncement the other day, he did .- riot quote the made for the. extension of our air sense, Avhich really, means the' employment of ah-craft as our national buttress against foreign attack. *V .: ,'...■' > We spend. £l,ooo,ooo per annum on defence. ■ What percentage of this sum is devoted \.o military- aeronautics? . '" ; ''7- ; -. Wi thin the limits qf %ur financial capacity, we should mark the. lesson which European countries have learnt. /. Tlie Government should give heed to the insistent deman,d ; fb'r -assisting local flying cVubg;V however small and seemingly insignificant, since, aircraft Avill form. 'the corner-stone m our commercial progress, quite apart from! the 7 equally important factor of national safeguard. 7 . i