The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1920. EMPIRE AIR SERVICES.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1926, Page 8

The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1920. EMPIRE AIR SERVICES.

The recent success of Group-Cap-tain Williams, the Controller of Civil Aviation in Australia, in his flight from Melbourne to New Guinea and the South Pacific and back, draws attention once again to the part aviation can be made to play in the British Empire. There is, of course, nothing very remarkable about Captain Williams’ fourteen thousand miles flight, its chief purport being to ascertain suitable places for the establishment of seaplane and aeroplane bases, besides gathering all the information possible with regard to climatic and other conditions for flying in that area. It is, however,, only one connecting link out of many which must ultimately connect up the whole Empire by means of a comprehensive system of air services. At the recent meeting of the Imperial Conference both the. Secretary of State for Air and the Secretary of State for the Dominions made fairly complete surveys of iwhat had already been accomplished and what was contemplated. Full details were given of the new Cairo-Karachi route, which is to traverse Iraq, and bring what was one of the most inaccessible parts of the world into the very middle of the highway of traffic, thus opening out wonderful possibilities in the future. As to East Africa, the experimental route from the Sudan to the edge of Kenya at Kisumu is the outcome of negotiations between a private company and the Governments of East Africa and the Sudan, it being contemplated to extend the service southwards, in order, to link up with Northern and Southern Nigeria, and so with the Union. It is considered very important that the whole of East Africa shall be in close contact with England one way, and with the white civilisation rooted in the native soil in the South. The time may not be far distant when the Voortrekker will be able to step on to an aeroplane instead of an ox-waggon when looking for a farm. There is a main Empire route of importance which will link up the West Indian Islands by some cheap and speedy method of transport, the main object being to promote internal developments. It will readily be .conceived what a boon in these scattered districts will be such machines as the Moth aeroplane, and how greatly they will contribute to making life easier and more pleasant for white people working in a tropical environment. Aeroplanes are already being used for spraying cotton fields, and may eventually succeed in exterminating the dreaded tsetse fly, while they can be of much service in many other directions. Canada is doing good spade work in relation to aircraft development, the main direction of operations being concerned with forest protection, fifty-six million acres of forest being patrolled on fire duties, while many thousands of square miles of survey have been made from the air. It seems to be evident that of all the Dominions which have evinced an active interest in aviation Australia is easily first. Commercial flying is said to have been established on a practical basis. There are routes open from Perth to Derby in Western Australia, with two trips a week each way, carrying passengers and mails. In Queensland there is an air route from Charleville to Camooural, extending over 825 miles, with a weekly service each way; another route from Adelaide to Cootainundra, 578 miles weekly; connections from Broken Hill to Mildera, and Melbourne to Hay twice weekly each way. All these routes, which will eventually be linked up, are proving great boons, as will be the trans-Continental route between Perth and Adelaide when provided, especially in the conveyance of Home letters. Whenever developments reach the stage of a service from Britain to Australia there will be no trouble as to satisfactory landing grounds, the Government’s policy being to grant subsidies for that purpose. While the Federal Premier asserts that the Australian people, generally speaking, regard it as no adventure to proceed on a fourteen hundred miles flight, Mr. Coates has announced to the world that the people of New Zealand have not the “flying sense.’’ Such a statement does not do justice to the country over which Mr. Coates presides. Given the opportunity to cultivate the flying sense, there can be no doubt that New Zealanders would take just as readily to this means of transport as do the people of the Commonwealth. In the interests of Empire this flying sense should be cultivated.

NEW SEASON’S DAIRY PRODUCE. It is very satisfactory io note from tha ’’official report of the director of tb« dairy division of the Department of Agriculture (Mr. W. M. Singleton), that the quality of the new season’s dairy produce has shown a marked improvement in the quality of both butter and cheese. Mr. Singleton points out that this spring can hardly be said to have been uniformly favourable for production, though better than that of last year. The production this year shows an increase of 7.6 per cent, over that of 1925, but. is still 4 per cent, below that of 1924. “Climatic conditions,” says the Director, “have been more favourable to quality than to quantity of dairy produce. There has also been a general move forward by dairy farmers and factory managers with respect to quality in both butter and cheese. The manner in which the producers and managers are co-operating with the department towards effecting improvement is ■to be commended. Usually the spring quality of butter and cheese is not as good as the. average for the season, but the quality of butter this spring is practically identical with the average quality for all last -season, while cheese shows a marked improvement over last season’s average.” Mr. Singleton supports his opinion with extracts from graders’ reports at the various ports, all of which tell the same story of improved quality. This dispassionate statement of an expert who is obviously in the best position to judge of results will be an added stimulus to producers and dairy companies to maintain this laudable improvement. That the industry cannot to stand still in regard to the quality of its exports is obvious, for, as Mr., Singleton, points out, its competitors are increasing in number and are sparing no effort to produce an article which will satisfy the market. In regard to the improvement aifareddy manifested, the Director gives credit to the Dairy Control Board for the stimulus which its decision to pay differential rates, for butter and cheese in accordance with quality has given both factories and producers in their efforts to improve quality, and in thfe regard there is no doubt that the board hc,» done the industry good service. With an improved tone in the London market —consequent upon the termination of the strike and the cultivation of better relations with the importers—and every prospect of a good season’s output, combined with an improvement in quality, the outlook for the dairy fanner is a good deal more cheering than appeared possible a few weeks ago.