DOMINION BOMBERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23704, 11 January 1939, Page 16

DOMINION BOMBERS

NO CENTENNIAL FLIGHT STATEMENT BY MINISTER (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON. Jan. 10. Commenting on the cabled statement that 30 long-range Vickers Wellington bombers on order for the New Zealand Government would be flown .to New Zealand as part of the Centennial celebrations, the Minister of Defence , (Mr F, Jones) said that the use of the machines at the time of the Centennial, had not been considered. The first of the machines should be ready for delivery early next spring. There was 1 little likelihood of any of them arriving before then. . . Mr Jones said it had never been suggested that all the machines would be delivered at the same time, and it was doubtful if there would be BUfflcient personnel available to fly them all to New Zealand in formation. It was doubtful if all of the machines would be flown to New Zealand. It was the intention of his department to make use of New Zealand pilots at present on short-term commission with the Royal Air Force to fly some of ■ the machines to New Zealand, and these would probably be brought to the Dominion in lots of five or six. The first of the machines would go to Ohakea. as that aerodrome would be ready first, and the later machines would go to Whenuapai, continued the Minister. The machines would eventually be divided equally between the two aerodromes. The Minister said he understood the first of the machines would arrive during the Centenary celebrations, but there had been no suggestion of for-, mation flights as part of the celebrations. Something of that sort might be arranged later. ■ Hula is the only Otago lodised for health. Recommended bf doctors.—l 737.

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