AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 22454, 26 September 1936, Page 13

AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

AUSTRALIAN COMPANY FORMED POWERFUL INTERESTS That the aircraft manufacturing industry would he established in Australia and producing aeroplanese within a year was announced in the House of Representatives at Canberra by the Minister of Defence (Sir Archdale Parkhill). The manufacturing company would be registered immediately, and would commence with a capital of £600,000, which would be subscribed as follows: — Broken Hill „Proprietary Company Ltd., £240,000. Broken Hill Associated Smelters Proprietary Ltd., £200,000. ' Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia and New Zealand Ltd., £IOO,OOO. General Motors—Holdens Ltd., £6ojooo. ' Sir Archdale Parkhill said that the company had prepared a plan of production which envisaged the manufacture simultaneously of both aircraft and aero engines of the less complicated types as the_ first step. “ At no distant date,” ho said. “ the aircraft'manufacturing industry will be established in Australia on such a scale and under such conditions as will make it a valuable contribution, not only toward Australia’s, but also toward Imperial, defence.” Sir Archdale said that the companies which were contributing the capital had been invited to establish the aircraft manufacturing industry in Australia because of the desire of the Government to remedy the existing unsatisfactory position of Australia is lacking reasonably adequate facilities for the manufacture of aircraft and aero engines. The new company, Sir Archdale Parkhill said, would be assured of adequate financial provision from the outset. With the, _ technical resources at its command, J it would be in a position to overcome the difficulties inevitably associated with the establishment of the industry. The experience and knowledge gained in the manufacture of aircraft and aero engines of the less complicated types would enable the company to undertake the manufacture of the more complicated types of certain aircraft which, in the meantime, would be ordered from Great Britain as hitherto. " The most modern plants and methods of manufacture will be employed,” said Sir Archdale Parkhill, “ and, while orders for aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force will form an important part in absorbing the output of the company, the civil market will not be neglected, but will be catered for to the greatest possible extent,”