AIR ESTIMATES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1932, Page 5

AIR ESTIMATES

BIG REDUCTION HIGH STANDARD UNIMPAIRED. (British Official Wireless.) BUG BY, March KJ. In submitting the air est.mates in the House ol Commons to-day, the Air M'.ni.stor, Sir Philip Sassoon, said the total of ’ LI7,4(JO,UvXI showed a reduction of £700,609, this being the Department’s contribution to tlie urgent requirements of the financial situations. The- saving had been effected without permanently impairing the high standard of efficiency in tlie air services. During his speech Sir Philip Sassoon stated that the experience gained in making the winning machines for the Schneider trophy contests, has been of real value in designing new equipment for the Air Force. The result'was that though reckoned by size alone, the Force took only fifth place among the air forces of the world, they had the satisfaction of knowing no other air force was better equipped. While nowhere was the standard of training and efficiency so high. He warned the House that to maintain such a standard, more money would be required in future years, than was asked for in the present estimates. Regarding civil aviation, he said Britain avoided giving air transport excessive State assistance, and had followed the plan of encouraging the air transport to “fly by itself.” Proposals were on foot for bringing into operation another 12,030 miles of Empire routes, and when that had been done, the Empire would possess over 37,000 miles of organised air routes.

ECONOMIC RESTORATION.

RUGBY, March 10,

Answering in the House of Commons a question to-day, the Foreign Undersecretary. Captain Eden, stated that some weeks ago the British Government initiated a preliminary exchange of views between the Great Powers, on the economic restoration of the Dannbian countries.

Owing to the material difficulty of arranging for simultaneous meetings at Geneva, between the representatives of those powers, it has been impossible as yet, to carry the discussions to the. point where any announcement could he made.