AVIATION

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 81, 9 August 1929, Page 5

AVIATION

GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAMME OUTLINED f BILL BEFORE HOUSE.. i POWERS FOR LOCAL BODIES, Press Association—Copyright. WELLINGTON, This Day. The House of Representatives under the new standing orders mot at 10.30 this morning. Mr. P. Langstone gave notice of intention to introduce the Bank of New Zealand Amendment Bill. Hon. T. M. Wilford replying to 001. Macdonald said he had examined the Arms Act since taking office and had been impressed with the number of ridiculous situations it created. He had investigated the matter in cooperation with the Commissioner of Police, and as a result he was proposed to submit two very important amendments to Cabinet with the object ,of getting through at least an amending act if not the repeal of the act. I Mr. Wilford moved the second reading of the local authorities empowering (aviation encouragement) .Bill said it was divided into two parts. MAKING LANDING PLACES. The first half gave authority to local bodies of any land to contri-j bute towax-ds the cost of making landing places for aircraft, contributions being based upon the amount of expenditure wdiich a local body may expend. The existing municipal law allowed so much to a local body by the way of unauthorised expenditure, the amount in each case being fixed according to the population and the rating value of the district. The Bill enabled a local body to expend an additional amount of unauthorised expenditure, as a contribution towards the cost of providing a. landing ground. AERODROMES. The second part of the Bill met the position where the local ’ bodies desired to go in for a good deal of expenditure to provide aerodromes. Many local authorities were now prepared to provide aerodromes, but no legal sanction existed for them to incurc the largest cost which might be involved. Mr. Wilford referred to the multiplicity of airways and landing places in other parts of the world, including Australia, and added that he considered if landing places were once provided in this country the airways would soon follow. To illustrate the country’s interest in aviation he stated there had been 407 applicants for ten vacancies for trainees at Socklnmi. BIG AERO CLUBS. He advocated the formation of big aero clubs, covering node areas possibly eight in number, in place of the thirty-three “mnshrooom > clubs” that had already applied for rcoognitiin, and he was plaased to see that ■steps were already being taken in this respect. In reply to an interjection he stated there would he nothing to prevent a. pilot being a. woman. It was the Government’s intention to provide not only that there should he lauding places. and, trained aviators, hut also that machines should he fib for flying. Ho would like to see three engined machines used and the formation of one big aviation company.

, Replying to a suggestion for Government enterprise he stated as Minister of Defence he had his hands full in training pilots for defence purposes. He suggested that the phots employed by the civil aviation companies should undertake an annual refreshed course at Sockhum. Rt. Hon J. G. Coatee stated one feature Inf the aviation gala days which ho had attended was that young pilots were not doing much of the flying. He hoped the younger men would not he deprived of the opportunity of taking np machines, Hon. Mr. Milford stated that young pilots had recently flown from Christchurch to Blenheim. Mr. Coates , continued to say that the Government should give more assistance to aviation, and might well use some of the unemployed in preparing landing grounds. INSPECTION OF MACHINES He agreed with the necessty for the nspection of nil machines by State officers, as it is not possible to be too careful in such matters. He wished to associate himself 'with the remarks of the Minister concerning the limiting miinbci oil clubs. Mr H. E. Holland (Bullei) said there seemed to ho nothing in the Act regarding the commercial aviation company which he predicted would follow the provision of landing places and exploit the work carried out by aero clubs in this country, in thi s respect and in training pilots. SEPARATE MINISTERS. He considered there should be a separate ministry of aviation to control civil flying, to be separate altogether from the Defence Do-

partment. The Government could pot b ejn a better position to employ aeroplanes in the event of their being required for defence than if it controlled civil aviation. Under the present scheme the control of the greater section of aviation would be left to private enterprise which, did not always place the best interests of the country before profitmaking.

Mr S. G. Smith stated that Taranaki people would welcome the suggestion for the formation of a big club for the whole of Taranaki. Mr W. D. Lysnar stated that in a country surrounded a s New Zealand was by water, it would be •necessary to make provision to medt the requirements of machines landing on the ground or on the water. , i

Tie disagreed with the suggestion that the Government should undertake a monopoly of civil aviation, as he believed there was a large amount of private, capital which would be available fur aviation, companys once landing grounds were provided!.. Rev. Clyde Carr urged the necessity for safeguarding the interests of eraployecg in aviation. Mr Black said he did not altogether agree with the clause of the Bill which provided authority for local bodies to contribute towards the cost of aerodromes without .seeking the approval of the ratepayers. He did not think local bodies should be made, paramount to ratepayers. HAj' Mr D. Jones expressed th e opinion the Bill should not he allowed to go through until the subject had been thoroughly investigated by a select committee of the House. Mr Barnard said he considered there was much argument for making aviation substantially a State monopoly, as there Had been in the case of the railways. The House adjourned untjil the afternoon.