STATE AND AVIATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 738, 10 August 1929, Page 6

STATE AND AVIATION

DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SERVICES WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY? | (THE SUN’S Parliamentary ReporterJ PARLIAMENT BLDG., Friday. Whether the control and development of aviation is entirely a national responsibility was the question raised during the debate on the second reading of the Local Authorities Empowering . (Aviation Encouragement Bill) ' in the House of Representatives today. Mr. C. H. Clinkard (Rotorua) said that it seemed to him that the establishment of a separate Ministry for Givil Aviation would involve overlapping such as had been experienced in some other groups of departments. The time for a separate Ministry wonld probably come later, but it was not desirable at the present juncture. He did not think ratepayers would raise any objection to the additional power which it was proposed to give local authorities to contribute toward the cost of airdromes. It was not unusual to give local bodies power to expend a certain amount of money without first gaining the ratepayers’ approval by means of a poll. Mr. J. Linklater (Manawatu) promised his heartiest support for the Bill. Mr. E. F. Healy also expressed his gratification with the legislation proposed and outlined the progress of aviation in Marlborough. Mr. A. E. Ausell (Chalmers) protested against the Government’s transferring to local bodies responsibility which should be its own, and added that he considered landing grounds should all be State property. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) advocated

keeping aviation uhder the complete control of the Government. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) expressed approval of the Bill, but agreed with the suggestion that it should first be referred to a select committee. TIME FOR ACTION Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) said that the Government had evidently realised it was time New Zealand did something in the way of aviation, but instead of introducing a Bill to do the job the Minister had brought in a Bill to allow somebody else to do the job. He suggested that the Bill - should be referred to Cabinet which should take steps to undertake a national task along organised national lines. Mr. T. W. McDonald (Wairarapa) said that he believed aviation would eventually have to be brought under national control, but in the meantime much could be achieved by private enterprise. Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston) complained that members had not been given an opportunity to ascertain the views of local bodies in their districts. The debate was continued by a number of members until late in the afternoon. USEFUL IDEAS The Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Defence, in reply, stated that a number of ideas had been presented

i during the debate which would be j helpful to the Government. He had j circulated copies of the Bill to local bodies which had ample opportunity of making representations. What he was anxious to do was to comply with their wishes regarding the establishment of aviation grounds and airdromes. The whole Act was voluntary. He would see that time was provided before the next stage of the Bill was taken for members to communicate with local bodies for their opinions on the subject. Referring to defence generally, Mr. Wilford said that he would like to see the whole system altered and various sections brought up to modern day requirements, but certain commitments had been made for the present year, and these had to be carried. Mr. Holland said the Minister would have shown statesmanship had he recommended the Cabinet to establish a separate Ministry of Aviation apart from the Defence Department, to control civil aviation. Then the country would have a system that could always be made use of for defence purposes should the necessity arise. Under the Bill the Minister was actually leaving the control of aviation in the hands of private enterprise, which did not study the welfare of the nation first, the ultimate objective being profit-making. A responsibility of the Government to undertake the work of aviation should be treated as a natural service and not one belonging merely to municipalities. Mr Holland' asked the Minister to reconsider the whole basis of the Bill in order that aviation should be kept under Government control. The Minister pointed out that Government control was not possible until the whole defence system had been remodelled. Of the defence vote of £1,000,000 half was for the naval side and half for the military side. He was at present only able to find £28,000 or £30,000 for aviation. The Bill was read the second time on the voices.