AVIATION IN AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 7

AVIATION IN AUSTRALIA

. UNDER CENTRAL CONTROL. The Federal Government (says tho Melbourne "Ago") has at lost reached a decision with regard to the future control of the' Commonwealth Air Force. It was pointed out in "Tho Age" some time ago that there: was considerable danger of tho same mistake feeing made as was made in Britain at the outset of the war, of conducting tho air branches of the naval and military organisations as two distinct units. There have been indications, illfact," of. very determined efforts by officials of the two branches of tho service to perpetuato a. costly and most objectionable system of dual control. All for tho sake of official vanity in each branch, officials "dressed in a little brief authority" say—"Hang the expense; wc want to run an aviation show of our own." Fortunately this absurd and expensive whim is to ])e knocked on the • head. Mr. G. Swinburne, chairman of the Board of Business Administration at the Defence Department, has been ill consultation with officers of'both Navy and. Defence Departments for some time past, with '.the. object of arranging for an efficient scheme of > development under central control.. It was pointed out that the former proposal for dual control must undoubtedly lead to wasteful duplication in expenditure, and ,to loss of efficiency generally owing to lack, of -co-ordination. The arrangement arrived at-has been considered 'by Mho Commonwealth Council of Defence, which has just made recommendations to the Federal .Government oil the matter. .As a result the Government has docided i:.poit a .system, which will place both air services under one control. Important prepress will be made in the development of the Air Force, in view of the decision. Provision has already been made in tho Intimates for . tho erection of an aerodrome, for which.a s-unu cf ,£50,000 liiis been' set aside, while other expenditure in.. connection with equipment was provided for. A largo liiimbnr of machines of tho latest type lias been ordered in Britain, and should be delivered shortly. Early steps, it is anticipated, will now bo taken to map out sui f ablo sites for tho establishment of aerodromes in various "portions of the Commonwealth, although tho establishment of theso will probably riot bo given efi'cct to for some time. - " Questioned with regard to tho matter generally, tho Acting Prime Minister staled (hat the-FederiU Cabinet had recently- had under consideration recommendations from tho Council of Defence in relation io tho air services of the Navy and Atrmy. Ail as.vement had been reached a=. to the modo of control of theso services and tho expenditure upon tliem for tho first year. Further than this, however, ho could say nothing at tho moment.