FART IN GREAT AIR SCHEME

Southland Times, Issue 24004, 20 December 1939, Page 8

FART IN GREAT AIR SCHEME

MINISTER EXPLAINS AGREEMENT LOCAL RESOURCES TO BE USED TO FULL DOMINION TO SUBSCRIBE ABOUT £7,000,000 (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 19. The contribution to be made by New Zealand towards the Empire training scheme was explained by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) tonight. After stating that the Dominion had set itself an ambitious programme, Mr Jones said that briefly the scheme involved co-ordination of the training of many thousands of pilots, air observers and air gunners throughout the Empire, as well as the provision of great quantities of aircraft and other equipment.

New Zealand, said the Minister, was to make full use of its own resources to complete as much training as possible within the country. The available personnel in excess of local training resources would complete their training in Canada. Reference was made by the Minister to the financial obligations which New Zealand was undertaking in augmenting the Empire’s air power. He said that New Zealand’s share of the Canadian training scheme would, during the period of the agreement, a little more than three years, cost about £7,000,000 sterling. In addition, the Dominion would be required- to meet the cost of its local effort. This was estimated to amount to approximately £5,000,000 in 1939-40, £4,700,000 the following year and thereafter £3,000,000 a year. Within 15 months it was expected that the air personnel in New Zealand would be doubled and that during the same period the number of New Zealand airmen serving overseas would be nearly trebled. The Dominion’s war effort in the air to date was also discussed by the Minister. USING OWN RESOURCES “A good deal has appeared in the Press about the Empire training scheme which is briefly the co-ordination of the training of pilots, air observers and air gunners throughout the Empire,” said Mr Jones. “New Zealand is to play its part in this Empire-wide organization, making full use of its own resources to complete as much training as possible within this country. This will call for a large Air Force establishment within the Dominion armed with modern aircraft which will greatly increase the strength of our local air defence. We are particularly suited to undertake this additional training within New Zealand as the expansion programme which was approved in 1938 visualized the provision of a big war-training organization. This was considered and approved by the British Air Mission which visited this country early this year. Much of the preliminary organization work was already in hand on the outbreak of hostilities. “In addition to providing for the defence of the Dominion, the New Zealand Government agreed in the event of war to provide and train 1300 men as pilots, observers and air gunners each year. EARLY PREPARATION “The work which was done during the last three years in establishing new stations and training schools, the provision of aircraft and equipment and the training of personnel has proved a most important factor in the rapid expansion of the Air Force during these first few months of the war. Expansion has proceeded and is proceeding most satisfactorily and today the strength of the Air Force is more than fom times its peace-time strength. We have under training more than 500 technical and nearly 300 flying personnel. “The necessary equipment has been considered and provision made for elementary training aircraft for use in New Zealand. Some of these aircraft are already in the Dominion and others are on the way. •to meet immediate needs, but the de Havilland Aircraft Company which recently began operations in Wellington will be in a position during the coming year to fulfil our local requirements. Intermediate training aircraft cannot yet be manufactured within the Dominion and Great Britain has undertaken to augment the supply of these aircraft from overseas sources. AIRCRAFT IN NEW ZEALAND “I may say here that the present aircraft position within the Dominion is satisfactory. Supplies have come to hand at earlier dates than anticipated. Advanced training and service aircraft will also be obtained from overseas sources and Great Britain has guaranteed delivery of the machines required. I would like to pay a tribute to the immense assistance the United Kingdom Government is giving to us in putting into effect this vast training organization on the equipment side. Great Britain has undertaken to provide free oi cost the greater portion of the aircraft and engines for the initiation of the scheme and has undertaken to make good all wastage, replacements and spares for aircraft and engines originally contributed free. Great Britain also offers to provide the necessary instructors to supplement those who can be provided within New Zealand. Not only this, but Britain also pays the cost of the pay and allowances and pensions at Royal Air Force rates from the date of embarkation for England of all personnel. This represents direct assistance to this country of more than £3,000,000. The pay of trainees in Canada will be at Canadian rates until the completion of service training and this is a charge against the Canadian scheme. New Zealand accepts the responsibility for all pay and allowances while the personnel are serving in New Zealand.” MEN NOW SERVING Reference was made by Mr Jones to New Zealanders who are now serving in the Royal Air Force. In all there were approximately 500 New Zealanders serving overseas today. Some of these had served with the Air Force during the last war and now held senior appointments. In the last war New Zealanders had achieved an unrivalled reputation in every theatre in which they participated and in this war there had been glowing reports received of their activities. He had no doubt that, inspired by these achievements, those who followed them would uphold that tradition worthily and he predicted that when the history of these troubled times was written and they could live in peace the names of New Zealanders would occupy an honoured place among the Empire’s airmen. . Mr Jones extended personal sympathy

to the relations of all New Zealand airmen who had lost their lives in the present fight for freedom. EFFECT ON~AUSTRALIA AND NEW_ZEALAND ADDITIONS TO DEFENCE ' FORCES (Received December 19, 11 p.m.) OTTAWA, December 19. Lord Riverdale, head of the British Air Mission, said that he was particularly pleased at the way the Empire air plan affects Australia and New Zealand, “where there is a danger of attack.” He added that they will have men in training constantly to augment their permanent defence force. Discussing the announcement about the Dominion air training scheme, the Air Ministry recalls that its object was to establish additional training schools in the Dominions possessing advantage of space and climtae, as well as virtual immunity from enemy interference. This proposal for achieving overwhelming air superiority met with an enthusiastic response and missions from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand proceeded to Canada, where an agreement was quickly reached. The bulk of the aircraft will be provided by the United Kingdom, but each Dominion will contribute in an increasing extent from its own resources. A supervisory board is being established in Canada which will administer the scheme and report on it to the respective governments. The board will have charge of thousands of young men from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, who will be training together. 67 TRAINING SCHOOLS IN CANADA WAR TO COST 1,000,000 DOLLARS A DAY (Received December 18, 6.30 p.m.) OTTAWA, December 17. The Prime Minister of Canada (Mt W. L. Mackenzie King), in a nationwide broadcast of the details of the air training agreement, revealed that 67 training schools manned by a ground staff of 40,000 men were required. Canada’s share would cost 350,000,000 dollars, making the cost of war to Canadians 1,000,000 dollars a day.