TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19054, 19 September 1933, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Parachutes for Air Passengers. Practically all aeroplanes used for regular passenger transport have enclosed cabins, as have the majority of machines used for what is known as charter or taxi work. The essential feature of this form of commercial flying is that the first object of all concerned is the safety and comfort of the passengers, states a recent article by the Secretary of State for Air, the Marquess of Londonderry. Every possible care is .taken in the design, the construction, and the daily inspection of the machines. The pilots are men of great experience and also men of the highest possible skill, and the machines are in touch by wireless with various stations and receive the latest meteorological information throughout their entire flight. That applies, of course, to the bigger machines. In consequence the number of accidents on regular air transport service has been extremely small, and in my view air transport is undoubtedly one of the safest forms of transport at the present time. It is obvious that the parachute is of no use in the case of an accident which occurs when the machine is taking off or landing or in an accident which might occur over the sea. Even in the exceptional case of a fire or breakage in the air, it is doubtful whether the parachute would really be of assistance. France and Economic Isolation. Year by year the French Government is making it increasingly difficult to sell anything but French manufactured goods in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, French Indo-China, Madagascar and her other vas t overseas possessions, writes Viscount Rothermere in the Dailv Mail. It is a claim of French statesmen that within a few years Franco will bo able to lead a life of economic isolation. All the rubber, coffee, oil, cotton and base metals required in the French market will come from her overseas empire. Morocco—■ one of the granaries of ancient Rome —can provide all the wheat necessary to render France independent of the wheat-exporting countries. Time presses. The eleventh hour is upon us. Wo have vet a chance to follow in France’s footsteps. In intrinsic resources the British Empire is throe or four times as well endowed ns the Empire of France. Determined statesmanship moving steadily in the direction of Empire Free Trade will not on] v cure unemployment in-Britain, but bring back to us the prosperity we enjoyed in the early years of this century. Gandhi, and the Government. T.ord Willingdon’s Government is to be highly commended for its prompt decision (lint if Mr Gandhi persists in his “civil disobedience” gestures and postures be will have to remain in an Indian prison, comments an English paper. The Indian peoples are coming to regard him as a nuisance and n bore. There has been no demonstration of sympathy with him on bis arrest; and though some of his more fatuous followers yesterday proclaimed a hartal, or general strike, their action met with no response. His power for mischief has gone, and even the Congress politicians are tired of his endless extravagances and follies.