NEW FAST PLANES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 30, 29 October 1937, Page 3

NEW FAST PLANES

-Press Association.)

Personnel to Man Them Provided For RESERVE OF PILOTS

(By TelegrapEi-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Moving the second xeading -of the Ait Eorce Bill in the Houso to-day the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones) stated that nearly everyone was familiar with the great advance in aviation in recent years. He eitended the congratulations of the Government to Miss Jean Batten on her reeent recordbreaking flight and referred to the rUpid strifles which had been made in the Dominion itself. With regard to tho progress of civil aviation, the Mini3ter explained the purposes of the Bill as outlined when the Bill was introduced and stated that the setting up of two branches of the Air Department, one to control civil aviation and the other the air force, did not mean that one branch would be subordinated to the other but that the facilities offered one would be also available to the other. These would include meteorological, wireless, aerodromes, medical boards, inspection service and maps, etc. Provision was being made for the establishment of an Air Board on linea similar to tho Army Board and it would primarily be concerned with the administration of the Air Eorce. It would, however, also advise the Government on the co-ordination of both the civil and military branches and when discnssing the former tho Controller of Civil Aviation vould be called in to take his place on the committee. Referring to the establishment of th9 Royal New Zealand Air Force, Mr. Jones said the Government had ordered two squadrons of the latest type of long-range aircraft, the first of which ' should arrive in New Zealand at the end.of nest year. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle: Are we not responsible for the proposals for building up the Air Force? Mr. Jones: No. The previous Government did not carry out the plans they initiated. If they had we might have had more planes in the Dominion to-day than we have. The Government is securing the latest type of aircraft and that did not apply to the past Government. If the full value of these squadrons were to be attained they would require to be manned by a permanent personnel who would hold short sejvice commissions extending over a period of five years= Ohakea Military 'Drome. The" Miqister explained the provisions for building up a reserve force of pilots and ssfid the Governnrf nt was providing for two military aerodromes. One would be in the Manawatu at Ohakea and the other would be in the Auckland district. The work on the Manawatu aerodrome was now in progress and when the new planes arrived in New Zealand the personnel and equipment to operate them would be ready. Referring to the recruitments for the Air Force Mr. Jones said the. Government was very pleased with the type of young men offering and the numbers coming forward. Wigram, he said, would be set aside for the training of pilots and Hobsonville for the training of mechanics, and it would eventually become the repair depot for the New Zealand Air Force. In connection with the training of both officers and men in official from the Education Department would be attached to each station to attend to the educational matters of the personnel and he stressed the fact that airmen in the ranks would be considered for short-time commissions. In fact, five airmen had already been granted such commissions. The Minister said it would be impossible for a country of the size of New Zealand to maintain a force sufficiently powerful to meet any emergency and as a result of this it was necessary to esta'blish a territorial air force whose iluty would be the defence of the main ports. For this work planes of lesser speeds would be used and with the cooperation of the British Government the New Zealand had purchased twelve Baffin aircraft. These were secondhand machines and he had assented to their jiurchase with some diffidence, but they had been very littla used and he fclt sure that their use for training purposes as well as the defence of the ports would prove very valuable. He woqld remind them they were also getting new planes too. Mr. Jones .proceeded to deal with the great work which had been Cone for aviation by aero clubs. The Government had come to an agreement with these clubs to train air force candidates for two months before they were sent to the Wigram aerodrome for i'urther training. The clubs had also agreed to Irain a total of a huDdred pilots a year for tho reserve. The Minister stated that he was very anxious to give an opportunity for young men to be trained as pilots, and a young man as long as he had education and physieal fitness could learn to fly evcn if he did not possess a peuny piece. However, hc would have to agroe to serve in the Air Force in case of emergency.* Mr. Jones refferrcd to tho agreement reached with B'rilaiu concerning the training of pilots in the Old Country lud also in New Zealand. Up to March 1938 we would have sent 79 young men ilome for training in England. The 'otal of the New Zealand Air Force lo-day was 37 officers and 290 men and '.he total when the seheine was completed would be 900. Civil Aviation. Civil aviation, said Mr. Jozies, had made rapid strides in the last two t ^ears, basides bgjsg uUciqttsd sn

its advance the tiovernmenu wa» interested in the quostion of its safety. An Air Kadio Committee had been set up and was being provided with £35,000 for the provision oi radio equipment capable of maintaining twoway comminication between planes and the ground. Direction-finding equipment for aircraft was also being provided while at certain aerodromes it was the intention to establish. radio i.pproach beacons with a range of 25 milbs. They might consider that £35,000 was a large sum, but it would be money well spent if it assured safety as far as landing grounda were concerned. The work was being pushed on rapid[y and it was intended to provide landing grounds every 25 or 50 miles along the main routes. The time was not far distant when New Zealand would be linked up by air witb Britain as well as the United States and he though a Commission should inquire into the convenience and suitability of Auckland or Wellington as suitable flying boat bases. These two cities should not quarrel,ovcr the matter but should allow the question of convenience and safety to be the main considerations. New Zealand 's Air Force, he contended, was some contribution to imperial defence and he believed the British Government appreciated what we were doing. The Government was doing its best to build up an efficicnt air force for the Dominion and he hoped the work which had been done would be appreciated by the House. Suggestions from the Opposition. Mr. Coates joined with the Minister in congratulating Miss Jean Batten. Ihe Bill, he said, provided that every member of the Air Force would move sn to the Air Force Eeserve and the same applied to the territorial air force and its reserve. This was a new principlo in New Zealand as far as territorial forces were concerned and he suggested that it might be applied to the land forces aa well. There appearsd to be a caso to be made out for a territorial reserve. The contribution tvhich was being made to the future defence of the country by the young men volunteering for service in the territorial air force should be considered, ae said, and wbv should men volunteering for service in one branch be placed In a reserve while the other branch ascaped. Discussing aerodromes Mr. Coates said he believed the policy now being jutlined was the natural outcome of jarlier work. He asked the Minister if the new machines for coastal defence were of the same type of the Vilderbeeste. He hoped not, as those machines had been ont of date before they arrived in the Dominion. They might be useful for training but to send them out against modern fighting machines would be most unfair. He also asked the Minister to indicate the number of radio beacons to be installed for the direction of aircraft. Hon. A. Hamilton (Opposition-Wai-lace) joined the Minister in an expression of appreciation of Miss Batten 's flight and also paid a tribute to that. "Canterbury farmer who flew home a little while ago to do the shearing.'; He was pleased to have the Minister 's assurance that New Zealand was working in line with Britain on the question of defence. He contended Auckland would be the best centre for Pan-American Airways* terminal, bnt as far as Imperial Airways vjas concerned he would like to point out that the far south was nearer Australia for a trans-Tasman crossing than auy other part of New Zealand. He paid a tribute to tho splendid work for aviation which the aero clubs had done throughout the Dominion. Mr. Jones, in reply, said so far as the commercial air servicea were concerned they had kept their planes in a 6tate of high efnciency, and although New Zealand was a difficult country for flying, had maintainefl wonderfully regular services. Referring to tho trans-Tasman service he said it was hoped that the fiying-boat service from Britain to Sydney would be commenced by January 1. It might be a littlo later but he would assuro them he did not think it would be long before there was a direct service from this country to Britain. As soon as possible the Government would continuo iiegotiations with Australia and Britain for the extension of the Imperial service to Now Zealand. Mr. Hamilton: Have you completed the negotiations? Mr. Jones: I am uuable to givc that information at present, but I hope to do so soon. Air Department The Air Force Bill was read a second time and Mr. Jones moved the second rcading of the Air Department Bill. Explaining the Bill, the Minister saidi it would combine civil aviation under' the controller of civil aviation and the. Air Force controlled by the Air,- Board. Meteorological, wireless and mapping( services would be pooled for bothj branches of aviatidn. Referring to the; clause safeguarding the future of edu-; cational officers appointed to the airi service, Mr. Jones said if teachers' could improve the education of the; joung man in Lthe service that was allj to the good. Mr. (Joates (Opposition — Kaipara) said Ihe Minister had lef t them iu doubt as to what he meant by the employment of teachers. Mr. Jones said at the repair basej they wouldhave a teehnical teachdr and1 at other bases they would have teachers in other subjccts. Mr. Coates said he thoughfc they should train men to stay in the service. He thought the ferm coach would be better. The Bill was read a second time. The House then proceeded with the committee stages of the Air Force Bill, Air Department Bill and the Army Board Bill. Mr. Coates advoeated the addition of several fast fighting machines to ou^ air forcc, he did not think anyone would eome to New Zealand for a rpasmodic raid, but to collar as muek oi: ihe country aa jpowibk. -i