AIR TRAINING SCHEME

Southland Times, Issue 24003, 19 December 1939, Page 4

AIR TRAINING SCHEME

Agreement Reached By Governments

ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS (United Press Association) . WELLINGTON, December 18. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) announces that an agreement has now been reached by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on the co-operative Empire air training scheme. Details of the agreement, which were under discussion for several weeks at Ottawa, have since been approved by the Governments concerned. "The purpose of the plan, as will be recalled,” said Mr Savage, “is to achieve by co-operative effort within the British Commonwealth air forces of a strength so overwhelming as to defeat any possible enemy attack. The many and varied details of a plan of the magnitude proposed necessarily have been the subject of prolonged and careful scrutiny. “The plan agreed upon will achieve a steadily increasing output of pilots observers and air gunners and will also enable the four countries to meet the greatly increasing requirements of trained personnel for their respective air forces. 1 “The air training programipes of the different countries have been so coordinated that advantage can be taken of their existing establishments, . and, in particular, of the special facilities and great natural advantages for air training and the production of aircraft possessed by the Dominions. “The development of the plan will ensure that extensive air training schools are established throughout the British Commonwealth, with Canada as the principal centre. PILOT SCHOOLS “Schools for pilots are to be set up in all the participating Dominions. Schools for air observers, wireless operators and air gunners are to be set up in Canada and Australia. Canadian, New Zealand and some Australian pilots are to be trained in Canadian flying schools. “Pupils from the United Kingdom and Newfoundland are to be sent for flying training to Canada, where some of the Australian and New Zealand personnel also will receive their advanced flying course. “It was realized in the course of the conference that the training facilities in Australia and New Zealand could be expanded so quickly as to render them capable of training a larger personnel than was needed to maintain the air forces of the two countries, and it was agreed that the facilities which could be made available for training in excess of local needs would be used to train Australians and New Zealanders for overseas service in furtherance of the common cause. “The training in both Australia and New Zealand will be confined to their own pupils. An outstanding feature of the plan is the programme of joint training in Canada, administered by the Canadian Government. Training for the Royal Canadian Air Force will be merged with this joint training programme. “Steps are being taken to ensure that the plan, both in the training of personnel and in the provision of the aircraft required, will be brought into full operation with all possible speed. DETAILS OF SCHEME “Details of the air training scheme in so far as it affects New Zealand, and the description of New Zealand’s war effort in the air will be given later by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones). “In a short time,” concluded the Prime Minister, “many thousands of young men from different parts of the Commonwealth will be working and training side by side in the cause to which they and their countries have devoted themselves. With the completion of these negotiations the world has once more been given a stirring proof of the manner in which members of the British Commonwealth of Nations are determined to co-operate with each other and with their Allies to ensure that the great causes for which they are contending shall prevail.” AGREEMENT SIGNED IN OTTAWA OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF EMPIRE CO-OPERATION (British Official Wireless) ■ (Received December 18, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, December 17. The Dominions Office and the Air Ministry make the following announcement: “An agreement which applies to Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the United Kingdom, and which provides for carrying out the Empire air-training scheme was signed at Ottawa early on Sunday morning. Lord Riverdale, head of the British air-training mission, signed the agreement on behalf of the United Kingdom Government. “The scheme is an outstanding example of Empire co-operation and is destined to play a decisive part in the achievement of victory.”