AERIAL MAILS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 269, 9 August 1919, Page 7

AERIAL MAILS

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S VIEWS

AVIATION PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND

- Whilst iu Britain and France the Post-master-General, Sir Joseph Ward, gathered a great deal of information regarding the use of aeroplanes for mail-carry-ing and other commercial purposes, lie believes that the world is entering a lrcriod of rapid devolopment in aviation, and that no country can afford to neglect the commercial uses of the aeroplane. A policy, for New Zealand will be matter for consideration by the Government. "The report of Lioutenaut-Colonel Botlingtou, who came ont- specially to investigate aviation for New Zealand, I have not yet seen, but I am looking forward with very much interest to reading il, and seeing 'the details of the proposals •made," said Sir Joseph Ward yesterday, "hi my opinion, no "country that wants tii keep abreast of tho times can afford to stand ont. of aviation for long. The developments have been so extraordinary, particularly during the last year of the war, and since then, that what was at • ii'ne time eghtly regarded as a somewhat 'dangerous service has progressed to an extent that is making it almost as safe as-motoring or transit for human beings by sea, and it is now only a question ,-of money as to ils adoption for mail.services to" places in this" country that arc ■remote from daily or even bi-weekly ! communication. In England, for in- ' stance, it is an everyday.occurrence for newspapers, both morning and evening, published in London, to bo carried by aeroplanes' specially adapted for the ser-, vice 1o different parte,, of the United Kingdom. ' - ■ "I was assured, upon competent authority, that the force of wind does not stop them from going'in any weather; so far as that is concerned, it i» "B and heavv thick rain thnt are the principal deterrents.'-There-are daily services from England to Paris-and Cologne, and to other important centres of tie Continent, that are earned out with great regularity, except under the conditions that I have referred to. The heads of great business establishments m .London ' ran cross for the purpose of spending-a day or so and return the same way, '•V short while before T left London Mr. Self ridge, head of, the great firm ot Selfridges in London, proceeded to Dublin, where there is a branch of his business, spent a day there and returned the next morning. The head of Tlorrods, Ltd.. proceeded to Pans and Belgium, spent a.'day there, and returned next da'v. These' are only isolated instances of'tho.uaes- to which aeroplanes are being put, and it seems to.me that in this country, though necessarily on a smaller scale compared Willi, anything that has been attempted and carried put in' England, the conditions are such that we cannot afford to lag'behind. "There is a regular passenger service carried on dailv in England. Scotland, find Ireland.. On tho steamer crossing •.the"Atlantic before tho ono we came by 'there '.were -seven different, people who employed aeroplanes to enahle them _to ioin the steamer, the train connection for which they 1 had missed. Their luggage was carried as well. Ihey did not nil travel .bv the same aeroplane, but .1 understand {here wero five machines altogether.! ! "I had the opportunity after I left '•England,of seeing the British dirigible' 'make its start on the return journey 'across tlio Atlantic. It appeared over Broadway, New York, whilo Lady Ward and I were returning from the Australasian Club, which has been established there for, Australians and New ZealandOS. This huge machine, in appearance like a silver fish, appeared over our, heads. The army authorities turned on a number of searchlights- and the heavens were lit up. The dirigible passed over two of the tallest buildings in New York fifty feet clear of them. At a particular point it turned seawards and then put on full speed and disappeared completely from view in less than ten minutes. The fact that this dirigible has made the journey, safely both ways is a pretty clear indications on.-wha-fc.-xan.be-done-in the air. It K of course, costly work. Voyages of this kind are costly, and it will be a-considerable time before a regular Atlantic air service for the conveyance of passengers is carried out. But that.it js coming is as sure as that we are alive. Fo far as New Zealand is concerned the > whole matter is ono for consideration of the Government as a whole."