BRITISH AIR STRENGTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22203, 5 March 1934, Page 9

BRITISH AIR STRENGTH

AN INFERIOR POSITION NATIONAL SECURITY NECESSARY. LONDON, March 2. ' The, net total of the Air Estimates ia £17,561,000, an. increase of £135;000 compared with |1933. The Marquess of Londonderry, in an explanatory memorandum, says: " Pending the results of the Disarmament . Conference,, the ' number of new units, curtailed to a minimum, will do a little to bridge the widening gap between the present strengths of the Royal Air Force and other great Powers. Great Britain has shown abundant sincerity to achieve air disarmament, but she cannot, in the interests, of national and Imperial security, accept a continuance of aerial inferiority. Two new squaddrons are being added to the Home defence in 1934, leaving a balance of eight to complete the projected programme." pne hew overseas flying boat squadron and .one fleet air squadron are being formed. - These additions make a total of 81 regular squadrons, apart from 13 in the non-regular Home Defence. LONDON, March 3.

(Received March '4, at" 7.10 p.m.) •;•;',. ;'.» The air estimates - satisfy the. critics for different ireasohs. For instance, the News-Chronicle regards them ~as sane and , congratulates the Government on resisting the pressure of an irresponsible press campaign in favour of a wild programme of indiscriminate construction. The Daily Mail, which has been forejnost in the campaign to increase, accepts Lord Londonderry's phrase about the interests of national security as a pledge of vigorous action hereafter, It wou}d have preferred swift,- decisive measures, but adds: "Governments like to move cautiously." ' : The Times finds the estimates perfectly sensible, leaving open the choice of alternative programmes in the future.

LONDON. March'2.

• (Received March 3, at 5 p.m.) The gross total of the Air Estimates is £20,166,000. which is an increase of £527,000 on the current year. Two squadrons at the experimental establishment will be reorganised and reconstituted on an effective basis.