ROYAL AIR FORCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21199, 3 December 1930, Page 7

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

V NEW ZEALANDERS DOING WELL. COMMISSIONS DIFFICULT TO - OBTAIN. (Special to Daily Times.)' AUCKLAND, December 2. ‘ Thei’e are a number of New Zealanders in the Royal Air Force at present, and most of them are doing exceptionally well, said Mr G. W. M. Easton, who returned to Auckland by the Alarama, Air Easton, whose home is in Taranaki, obtained a commission in the Air Force immediately after his arrival in England about two years ago, but after 18 months’ service he had to relinquish his commission as the result of a serious crash while he was flying a Bristol Fighter at Holton-le-Moor, Lincolnshire. He was in hospital for over seven months, and has now been invalided out .on pension. Flying-ofßcer Binley, of Wellington, was one New Zealander who was making excellent progress in England, Mr Easton said. Other prominent officers from New Zealand were Flying-officer A. Mathias, of Auckland, a former Auckland Rugby representative, who was playing good football as well as making a name for himself in the Air Force; Pilot-officer Williams, of Wellington, who was in the Air Force Rugby fifteen, and who bad beaten Flight-lieutenant G. R. Beamish in the final of the Air Force Heavy-weight Boxing Championship; Pilot-officer Grant, of Auckland; and Pilot-officer Allen, of Wanganui.

“ The prospects for New Zealanders ■wishing to obtain Air Force commissions are not very good at present,” Mr Easton said. "The Air Alinistry has been rushed with applications, and there is a long waiting list. The standard of physical fitness has been raised, and it is little use for anyone to go to England * on spec,’ as many djd a few years ago.”