The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1921. IMPERIAL AIR SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1921. IMPERIAL AIR SERVICE.

The development of aviation, not only as a commercial erterprise, but as a valuable and effective means of defence, is a matter that is of the greatest importance to the British Empire. According to a recent cablegram from London, the subject is to he brought before the Premiers’ Conference in a concrete form, the idea being the formation of an Imperial. Airship Transport Company for the purpose of providing for the transport of mails,.and probably passengers, to and 'from Britain and all parts of the Empire. It is stated that, the Imperial Air Ministry is prepared to hand over its existing airships and equipment for this purpose, and that the Government will consider the question of granting an annual subsidy of a quarter of a million sterling to further the scheme, which contemplates the construction of the largest type of airship in the world, capable of carrying twenty tons of freight to Egypt in forty hours, and to India in eighty hours, while Australia could be reached in ten days, less than a third of the time now occupied by steamships. Under the Peace Treaty Germany is debarred from possessing any dirigibles (Zeppelins), but is allowed to maintain as many commercial aeroplanes as she pleases, so that no competition in overseas transport by airships need be feared in that quarter, but France. America, Japan, Italy, or any other country can, if it pleases, enter into the airship transport business, though manifestly at a great disadvantage as compared with the operations of a company comprising the united strength of the British Empire. That the scheme will involve a large expenditure if it is to be of any real service as a permanent institution is certain. The main question for consideration is whether that expense will be justified. That can only be decided by experience. At the same time the project must be viewed not only in its commercial aspect, but in its bearing on Empire defence. While the Dominions are in some measure aware of the importance of air transport, there is no practical evidence of their recognition of the immense possibilities, in peace and in war times, attaching to developing airships and aeroplanes to the utmost possible point. If these modern wonders are to he constantly improved there must be a direct incentive to inventors, and this can only be adequately furnished by a company such as is now proposed. The same may be said of the training of aviators. As a means of defence fleets of airships, capable of carrying heavy loads, and of sweeping over vast areas of the ‘sea in rapid flight so as to detect and destroy enemy warships, would be an ideal means of assuring security. It should be remembered that the great superiority of the Allies over the Germans in the matter of aircraft was one of the causes of the German collapse. There is far more sense in spending money on an air transport service in times of peace—and possibly paying its way in the main—than in wasting money on a pretentious military service that can only be a dead loss, except fertile physical training, which' can be accomplished better and cheaper by other means. It is quite right that the Premiers should consider the air transport proposal, which can materially modify the whole scheme of Imperial defence, and be a boon to the commerce of the Empire.

though not at the rate disclosed by the 1911 census (119,800). If, however, a comparison is made with the figures for 1874, when the population was. 291),0i l, some idea' will bo given of the strides th(* Dominion has taken in less than half a century, by mounting up to 1,210,974. The outstanding feature of the recent census is the growth of population in the North Island as against that in the South Island, the percentage in the former being 13.5, as compared with 6.7 in the latter. It is evident, therefore, that, although in the early days the South Island possessed many more advantages as regards settlement and profitable occupations than the North, climatic conditions and the gradual development of the natural resources, and more particularly the phenomenal growth of the dairying industry, . caused the tables to be turned, and resulted in the North becoming the point of attraction for settlers, hence it now contains sitxy-one per cent, of the total population of the Dominion, as against thirty-nine per cent, in the South Island. There is ample room for double the present population If production is to he raised to its proper level, and it should not be long before this takes place.