BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1926, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

[Australian &■ N.Z. Cable Association.]

NAVAL DEFENCE

DOMINIONS’ CONTRIBUTIONS,

LONDON, A larch 9. In the House of Commons, Sir AV. IL Davidson (Under Secretary' of the Admiralty) informed Air Horebelisha the amounts of the current estimates -t for naval purposes were; Canada. £1,400, COO ; Australia, £3,921,000 plus £301). special appropriation for defence pin I ]mses ; Now Zealand, £7338,000; South Africa, £140,000; India, £730.000, plus £IOO,OOO towards the maintenance of the East Indies Squadron; Hong Kong. £120.000 towards the Singapore Base.

AIR DEFENCE OF BRITAIN. LONDON, Alareli 9. In the House of Commons Sir Samuel ; 1 Inure (Air Al iiiister) in reply to tho ■—' debate on the air estimates emphasised that the Government was seriously, dealing with the problem of disarma mont. Dealing with Home defence Sir Samuel said that it might he that we would never he able to make it impossible for the attacking force to penetrate to tbe snores of Britain, but, if the Government programme was carried out it would be so risky that a foreign power would think many limes before attacking us. Aianv of

our air squadrons were now equipped with parachutes of which already 272 had been delivered. Sir Samuel Hoarc expressed the. opinion that soon tho whole air force would be so equipped. As regards Empire policy the Air Almister was arranging an agenda for tin* Imperial Conference and he would take full account of Britain’s interesting observations.

Sir l’hiliip Sassoon (Air Under-Secre-tary) referred to Aft- Alan Cobham’s (light to the Cane and also to tho Capo to Cairo flight and said that they looked to flights like the latter for important developments anil blazing tho trail. H was in this way that tho development of air communications would he most easily carried out anil should he the basis of our civil flying development. .Arrangements were being made to organise meteorological and auxiliary wireless services for tbo new India route anil an officer of tho Air Ministry had gone out to investigate. the matter. The report stage of the estimates was agreed to.