AIRSHIP POLICY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 114, 16 May 1931, Page 7

AIRSHIP POLICY

BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE MR MACDONALD’ STATEMENT RUGBY, Alay 14. In a statement in the House of Commons regarding airship polciy, Air MacDonald said that it was perfectly obvious after the deplorable RlOl accident that tho whole policy and pro gramme should be reviewed and the Government hud turned with a good deal of expectation tu the report compiled, after extraordinary patience and powerful examination of the case, by the committee over which Sir John Simon had presided. The position confronting the Government at tho moment was that airships had proved neither a failure nor an assured success. Britain lad one airship, 11100, which was very much out of condition by lack of use. Assuming that this ship was was retained, there would be no idea of long spectacular flights. It would be a sort of experimental ship. There was a whole field of unsolved problems that ought tu be investigated, and the airship, if reconditioned, would be most useful testing and investigation by a nucleus staff. This would cost £12,000 in the first year, £130,000 in the second year, and the peak figure would be £140,000. The Government favoured the adoption of this scheme, which should be revised and reviewed thoroughly at the end of three or four years. If, in the meantime, developments convinced the Government that there was nothing in airships or on the other hand some wonderful flight made with a new type of airship convinced the Government that there was a great future for airships to which Britain could not be indifferent, the scheme could accordingly be dropped or extended. Heurgcd the adoption of the scheme without delay. Sir S. Hoaro agreed that in face of the great adavntage the airship might be to tho Empire in the future all of the research and experimental work done in the last five years should not be scrapped, Britain should proceed with the programme and watch closely the interesting experiments proceeding in Ger.iany and the United States, and keep RlOO in condition for purely experimental and technical flights. Sir John Simon also supported the proposal.