MAKING FLYING SAFE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1929, Page 5

MAKING FLYING SAFE

Mr Semple: You have, wasted thou-.

COOK STRAIT CROSSING

MINISTER’S INTERESTING DETAILS.

WELLINGTON, August 9.

The biggest responsibility facing tho Minister of Aviation in the control of;' Hying; in the, Dominion is that of flip; crossing of Cook .Strait, explained the' Hon T. M. Wilford, when replying, after a long discussion in the House;; to-day on the measure which empowers-:, local .authorities to spend money on the ’ establishment of landing grounds' andf hangars. There was a good deal of* criticism from members, who considered that local authorities were.-being-asked to carry further burdens, but, tlie Minkister’s answer was that the whole Bill ’ is voluntary and the' word “shall” does not appear in it. He promised in any case to make amendments in the committee stage in settling conditions for flying in New Zea- / land. ■ - .

Air Wilford went , on, } to say that he had the co-operation of the Minister of Railways and the Alinister in charge of the Meteorological Department. His most serious responsibility was in regard to the Cook Strait crossing, and he had arranged in. connection -with '; licenses for that flight that it must ; be made at a certain height, say 6000'(• feet, because each thousand feet ,meant a’ capacity to glide a mile; thus 'a six'll mile glide would be possible 'so- "that ? track could be kept of the aimaiors! It' I had been arranged for the Railway De- jj partment to co-operate with the De-T; fence Department,, and any aviator ily-;. “ ing from the North would be required ‘ to.fly down to 1,000 feet at Pae" aknrikrrailway station and .si 'mil as a cheek. This would be reported' to ! the head 1 office, and on the'otheiv side the aviator would have to report the time of arrival at Blenheim to the railway offi- • cials. If he went:by way of the West Coast there might be an arrangement' to report to Pencarrow Lighthouse, or the Wellington Harbour Board’s Beac n Hill , Station,, where an • all-day •watch was kept. The Meteorological. Department was co-operating in experiments Avhich would' make air travelling safer, .and the - purpose of ;the Bill; whs; to provide proper landing places, so ' that pilots - would - not be obliged /to make forced landings on unsuitable country. ,•- " Without ithese (facilities t'ion^ uWilforjd, might; as \ well- be; relegated .to the r scrap-heap.” : •He agreed .tha.ti local .authoritiej&mipuld riot be forcedjSto impend on grounds', without:-the ratepayers’ • sanction; and this.would be made clear in. the" bill.' vEftVE-Vt;;'- . ■ .; •;

• Air.-, Holjand (Buller): SupposeElocal authorities.oiv.the.;West Cpast ’are un- .., ;abio to you."*

provide them;? -; •• ' ■• 'f V The Alinister.: A .few words’', in the Bill defining aerodrome :• as, public,. ; work might enable my. colleague! to pro- • vide; the money.. ; • fvS .' y'-'-Chqrus of members: We wilLall ask for that. (Laughter!) . \ Mr Wilford: 1 But, I vpijl -not admit ' that there is any. undertaking ip. this • Bill to, spend; ?, penny: ? As for the position of aviation in de- - fence the Alinister. .explained- that out of- a million voted" for -detfence £500,000 , was absorbed for Singapore and main-,': tenance of cruisers, and he was tied ' down to a vote of £28,000 to £30,000 for aviation. A remodelling of the defence system was inevitable, and as a matter of fact the Commandant of the Forces and himself had spent:'some months in devising' new plans, ibrit ho could not make changes this session'and could.get no more money.-,- -

sands. , > " > -■ . The Minister: 'That may be if the system is wrong, but; the Government: j has undertakings it must carry out;; this year. . I *