AVIATION BOOM COMING

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1923, Page 1

AVIATION BOOM COMING

LONDON, July 2. At their final general meeting on Saturday the 500 delegates to the International Air. Congress at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Great Georgestreet, SAY., passed resolutions framed during the week by the various groups. The most important are : That Governments should now be asked to unite in subsidising long-distance trans-continental air services. That the International Air Traffic Association should ascertain from the postal authorities of European Governments the aeroplane time-tables which would he most suitable for the carriage of mails, and communicate the information to air transport companies.

That tlie advisability should now lie considered of setting up a permanent international commission for the standardisation of aircraft materials and parts. It was stated in another resolution that from the medical information now accumulated there is no evidence that air pilots deteriorate more rapidly than men engaged in other occupations, hut

that they maintain a condition above the normal for their age. Sir Samuel Honre, Secretary for Air, emphasised the importance of standardising aeroplane materials in view ol the development of international air communication. Airships were of particular interest to the British Government because of a proposed airship route to India and the Far East. Air mails also were of great actual interest to the Government. A farewell banquet was held on Saturday night at the Hotel Victoria, No: tliumherland-a venue, AY.C.. when Al. R. E. Flendin. president of tlie French Aero (Tub, said that the proposed increases in the British Air Force, announced recently by our Prime Minister, were tangible evidence that every British subject now realised the vital importance of flying as a means of national security.

The Duke of Sutherland, Under-Sec-retary for Air. said he hoped it would be possible to make international agreements in connection with air armaments which would allow expenditure on commercial aira ays ol money which would otherwise have to he devoted to military air fleets.

Major-General Sir Sefton Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation, prophesied a big stride forward in aviation soon, which would restore blood to the “pallid corpses” of recently starved British aircraft manufacturers.