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Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1924, Page 2

.Since the war, a great deal f controversy has raged in regard to the effectiveness of airships for transport purposes, and until recently the different governments have looked with small favour on lighter-than-air machines. Now, however, official Miinion appears to have veered round, and at a conference of the Institute of Transport, held at the British Empire Exhibition, Air Vice-Marshal .Sir Sefton Brancker stated that the Government had at last decided to develop the airship as a commercial vehicle. Two big ships of five million cubic feet capacity. and ca]>ahle of carrying one hundred persons, have been ordered, and these will he used in maintaining a regular by-weekly service to India, after the necessary air ports have been prepared and the data regarding the maintenance and handling of airships in a tropical climate collected, which will take four years. Sir Sefton Brancker further stated that within the next twt> years this Indian .service should lie extended to Australia, which should lie reached in eleven days, and another serivee should he available at least once a week to the Cape, via West Africa, in five days and a half. There should, also, lie at least one airship service crossing thoAtlantie and reaching Canada in two days and i half. Branch routes served by aeroplanes and flying boats are contemplated. These possibilities of aerial transportation are of vital necessity to the development and linking up of the Empire, and it is to he hoped, says a Home iaper. that the public will give these "literprises solid support, for. Sir Sefton Brancker added, if this is forthcoming the money would lie found. A\ ith regard to henvier-than-air machines, it is imped that next year will see a. ' igger licet and considerably greater traffic a the cross-channel services. The Bri:ish Air Ministry at the present time ire devoting attention to the problem >f producing aircraft which can he ope•ated more cheaply, and are testing a I icaw oil engine which, if suitable for I

aeroplanes, will reduce considerably operating costs.

“Handsome is as handsome does.’’ And the All Blacks continue to do handsomely. Saturday’s game, the first in the the precincts of London, was expected to he a kind of rehearsal for the All England test, as it was t.i dorstood the London Counties team included six internationals, with whom was assoc iated the crack half c f the United Kingdom, as well, also. 11s a brilliant Queenslander. The score .ends however, as if New Zealand took no chances, and if these was any drill to he accounted for ill the previous game, through slackness of play, u was more than accounted for hy the brilliance of yesterday’s game. 'I lie Ad Blacks are making a triulu] h of their tour, and tlu l critics at Home must he fully impressed now with the capabilities of the victors. .Some eighteen games have been won ill consecutive order, and mostly with large margins. We tire told the next four games will lie of serious import, embracing a setto with OxTord, ami further matches in .South Wales winding up on Saturday week with the long-looked for test match with Wales. On the occasion of the previous tour, the Welsh international uniteli alone was lost, so special interest will centre round this game in which the present team will seek to recover tlm lost glory. In the earlier matches with Welsh teams *.lu: All Blacks won, hut it is said the return of Rugby footballers from South Africa will considerably strengthen the Welsh forces. However, there is licit ny occasion to lose faith in the All Blacks who so far have done handsomely— fining everything they have been asked to do.