NEW ZEALAND AIR SQUARDRON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14244, 12 March 1917, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND AIR SQUARDRON.

FIVE MORE MACHINES WANTED

In conversation with a reporter, the Hon. Arthur Myers, president of the Overseas Club, referred <tfO repent, cables bearing j«jji' the work thaj.. our air fleets are candying out in the direction of winning the war. %

"It is* a significant fact," said My Myers, "that our machines are reported continually as performing important reconnaissance duties, but that few Overman -aeroplanes a.re visible. a, day passes but news is received of aerial bombardments of railway and J other centres beyond, the enemy's lines, j To those who fallow- with interest the operations of the Royal Flying Corps, it is gratifying to have so many evidences of tfte fact that the aeroplane is playing so vjtal a; part in the present great struggle, not only in scouting and photogYapiiinc on' f and and sea, but also in the actual work of engaging the enemy's forces in dose conflict." New Zealand is well represented in the Flying Corps, having already presented five machines to the War Office, from tho following centres :— Hawke's Bay, Poverty Bay, Dunedin, Otago, and Auckland. In a communication just received by Mr. Myers from Mi\ Evelyn Wrench, the hon. organiser in London of the Overseas Club, it is pointed out tnat were the various other largo centres of the Dominion to co-operate with the object <>t presenting .a '. f hrther five* machines to the War Offjce; N«ew Zealand would then have contributed a complete Air Squadron of her own,. This New Zealand unit would be maintained permanently as such by the Imperial authorities: that is to say, should, any or all of the actual machines . presented be lost or destroyed, the" War Office

would replace same, and so "keep the New Zealand Squadron intact. > The different parts of our Empire are all playing a worthy part in contributing to the strength, of our air' forces. Australia has presented to thej.^far Office three complete aerial sc}\iadV,qns ; Canada nnd South .Africa- have each sent Home several machines; ]\la]aya, has given 45 aircraft ; India- some 70 or BQ. aeroojanes^; -■- whilst Newfoundland^ the Ciold Coast,, 3ftlio^pßia>, Ceylon, Hong Kong, and many pth«r outpost^ of Emfpire have each provided a number, of* ; fighting aeroplanes in the common ca<use. .... ■ The Overseas fciub, to date, has pi'esented 87 macnjn,es tp the imperial,.Airpraft FJetilja; whilst t».e sister organisation of tiiet Patriotic lieague of Bi-itons Overseas ha» also given 30 aircraft to the Admii'a-lty.