The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21. 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21. 1928.

BitILAIN’S Allt. I‘XiKKTS. The Air Estimates for the year have been submitted to the House of Commons, and they have provided material for a -highly interesting discussion Tlie total amount to ho expended on air services generally is put down at £16.000,000, in itself a very substantial sum. But the criticism to which Sir Samuel Hoare’-s proposals were subjected, did not confine itself to the. financial .side of his Air Budget. While some members thought the proposed outlay excessive, others deplored its inadequacy; and while some approved the extension of the airship service, others pronounced strongly in favour of aeroplanes. Finally, a section of the Labour Party, emphasising the naval and military aspects of the question, advocated the total abolition of air forces of every description, on the plea that “if Europe does not end aerial warfare, it will end Europe.’’ As regards the general character of Sir Samuel Hoare’s proposals he is concerned chiefly with the possibilities of commercial aviation, and he has apparently great faith in the future of airships. No doubt it is true that “if the CJovernmen’s airship experiments succeed they will revolutionise transport, create a new British industry, and bring the more distant capitals of the Empire within a- fortnight of London.’’ But it must be remembered that the position of the airship as a safe and reliable means of transport is by no means firmly established, and one of the Labour memlx>rs quoted effectively the opinion of one of the leading Gorman experts in aviation who described a proposed airship service as “commercially impossible and technically ridiculous.’’ The disasters that have overtaken so many of the airships already constructed should not he forgotten; and though long-distance aeroplaning has now passed the period of infancy, the terrible tragedies which have marked every stage of its progress indicate clearly enough that so far aviation has not attained a reasonable degree of certainty or safety. These considerations hardly provide a sufficient reply to the complaint that Britain is not expanding her air services so rapidly n.s other countries. While there are only 30 commercial machines in Britain, remarks an exchange, there are 300 air companies running services in the United States, and 3000 or 4000 privately-owned machines as well. But if the future of the airship is still dubious, it is obviously the wisest course to experiment carefully and to advance slowly. As to the naval and military aspects of the problem, while some critics demand tlie complete abolition of aerial warfare. others point to the ominous fact that the aerial forces of other countries are increasing more rapidly than our own. Tt was easy for Sir P. Sassoon to show that in regard to her air forces “Britain has set a striking example in disarmament” since the war. But while the figures that he quoted mar be consoling to the pacifists, it is still seriously open to question whether it is wise “to allow zeal fOT international peace to outrun discretion and leave

the. country at the mercy of an air attack.”