ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 29

ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA

NEW AIRSHIP PROPOSAL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) A new proposal in regard to the establishment of an airship service between Great Britain and England has been put j before the Prime Minister (Mr Hughes) by ! Sir Keith Smith, who, with his brother, the late Sir Ross Smith, flew by aeroplane from England to Australia. The Prime Minister stated that Sir Keith Smith had explained the new proposal for an airship service, which appeared to differ in some | important particulars from that which he (Mr Hughes) had previously submitted to Parliament. It appeared that a private company was prepared to furnish the capita). provided that a reasonable interest was guaranteed by the Governments of ihe difI ferent parts of the Empire. He understood I that the Australian quota would be some | £40,000 per annum. This was a very difi ferent proposition front the other, which ! involved a very large capital expenditure, i as well as recurring expenditure amounting ! (,o four or five times as much. The prime ! Minister is to bring the matter before Par- ; liamen*. Sir Keith Smith has already stated that i the sclu mo was being heavily backed in j England by Vickers. Ltd., and the Shell j Company. The project, involved employ - I meat of airships at present idle in Great I Britain, and the institution of an air serI vice through Egypt and India to Australia.