Quality First

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 925, 19 March 1930, Page 9

Quality First

BRITAIN’S AIR ESTIMATES Example to the World OTHER POWERS ARE BUILDING A POLICY of slow progress in aircraft building is revealed •»» by the Labour Government in Great Britain, which produced its Air Estimates in the House of Commons last evening. The Opposition’s first critic, in pointing out that all other European Powers are speeding up aircraft building, stressed the sinister features of Britain’s curtailment.

British Official Wireless Rer-tl. 12.50 p.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. reducing the Air estimates in the House of Commons, Mr. F. Montague, Under secretary for Air, said the revised total of last year’s estimates, allowing for a supplementary estimate of £760,000, was £16,960,000. This year there was an increase of £890,000, and the total was £17,850,000. This increase was due mainly to the provision of up-to-date equipment, which was essential alike for the safety and efficiency of the coming needs of civil aviation and additional outlay on scientific research work. During tile financial year ending March 31, five additional squadrons would have been added to the establishment of the Air Force for the purposes of home defence. One of these was a regular squadron and the other four were organised on the cadre or auxiliary basis. It was first intended that 2a per cent, of home defence force should be on this non-regular basis, but at the present time the proportion was nearly 33 per cent. Auxiliary squadrons did not, in their early days, require to he equipped on the same scale as regular squadrons. They required in the first instance machines of training rather than service types, but as these squadrons reached maturity, provision had to be made for equipping them with up-to-date service aircaft. REDUCTION IN FIGURES Mr. Montague continued: “I would like to stress the moderation and the unprovocative character of the British air policy and expenditure. Our Air Force is substantially exceeded in terms of first-line strength by France, Italy and the United States, and estimates -which I am now introducing show an actual reduction on gross figures compared with the Air Estimates of five years ago in striking contrast with the very large increases in air expenditure of other Powers during the same period. “This, moreover, is despite the fact that our overseas requirements for garrison purposes in the middle east and India are much greater than those of other countries, on basis of metropolitan strengths. “We have considerably less than half power standard compared with our nearest neighbour, but the Government does not propose to be drawn into competition in air armaments. Expansion will only take place in so far as it is forced upon us by developments abroad, and no other course remains open. HOME AIR DEFENCE Development of the home defence air force is proceeding slowly On well considered lines, whose aim is quality rather than quantity.” As ac. instance of the successful use of air power, Mr. Montague mentioned that in Palestine the prompt arrival of 50 soldiers by air during the recent troubles did much to prevent further serious riots. Aircraft were also able to drive off

attacks by Arabs upon isolated Jewish colonies before the arrival of ground reinforcements. Offensive action from the air was’ taken altogether eleven times. This proved the salvation in many instances of otherwise - defenceless communities, and there was no evidence of any innocent persons having suffered. Mr. Montague mentioned the Air Force dealing with rebellious tribes ! and similar work in Koweik, Irak, the Sudan and Aden Protectorate, and said in many cases heavy loss of life had thereby been saved. He pointed out that the outstanding achievement during the last year in engine progress had been the intensive develop- , ment of the Rolls Royce engine, used in aircraft, which won the Schneider Trophy at a speed of 328.63 miles an hour. By normal standards this engine should give approximately 820'horsepower, but the two engines used actui ally sustained an output of over 1,900 horse-power over the course. It had since been decided not to ' continue Government participation in the race. Undoubtedly useful experience had been gained from these contests in the past, and official participation was on that account justified, but further progress could now be made with greater economy by other means. It was hoped the widespread public interest displayed would make it possible for the Royal Aero Club and aircraft industry to organise future contests without Government assistance. DANGER OF COMPETITION Sir Samuel Hoare, Air Minister in the late Conservative Government, pointed out that this country was only fourth or ‘fifth in the list of Air Powers, and each of the other great air powers, America, France and Italy, was at present engaged on a programme of further extension. 1 At the present moment we were : thinking mainly about naval disarmament, but lie was inclined to take the • view that in years to come, the most urgent disarmament question would - be air disarmament. It was a sinister fact that the expenditure of all great Powers, except ourselves, in air armaments was literally bounding up year by year. The expenditure of France had L risen no less than 113 per cent, during the last five years, that of Italy ’ 25 per cent., and that of the United States 140 per cent. , Sir Samuel Hoare suggested to Mr. Montague that he should investigate again the problem in which he himself was interested before he went s out of office, namely, the possibility l of arriving at a parity agreement bes tween the three great Powers of Wesern Europe—France, Italy and our* » selves. [ If they could reach such an agreel ment, there would be less risk of air ; armaments going up, and that agree- * ment would be the best basis for a more general agreement to be reached : between‘all the Powers of the world.