The Taihape Daily Times MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1916. AEROPLANES FOR NEW ZEALAND

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 201, 25 September 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1916. AEROPLANES FOR NEW ZEALAND

AND WAJMAEINO ADVOCATE (With which is incorporated The Tai bapo Post and Waimarino News.}

New Zealand has lagged somewhat in the matter of aviation; while most other Dominions have their aeroplanes rand are turning out expert aviators, this country has not yet made a start, or, it would be perfectly correct to say that it has only just commenced upon anything practical in that connection. Some month or two ago the Hon. H. P. Wigram, of Christchurch, personally ordered from the manfacturers in England two single-seater Caudron biplanes, also one six-cylinder Caudron biplane. Since then Mr Wigram has been approached with respect to a company taking over the machines and laying foundations for the exploitation of everything that aviation has to offer,. There is no doubt at all that the aeroplane has come to stay. The extraordinary • development of aeroplaning during the last few years war rants the belief that not only will it be a leading arm in national defence, as in fact it now is, but the dominant arm, and that commerically its future is as assured as that of automobilism or wireless telegraphy. This is what the prospectus of the new aviation company states. The risk in aeropl,ruing has been reduced to something negligible, and before long, owing to its importance in the Empire’s defence aviation will be quite as immune from danger as some other world-wide methods of locomotion. The stability of the machine is now established, and a company has been formed in Christchurch to establish a school of aviation in Canterbury or elsewhere in

New Zealand, to provide a tuition fleet, flying grounds, appliances ana equipment for repairing, and possibly for building new mac-bines, to tram aviators to serve in the Royal FlyingCorps of Great Britain, for the defence of New Zealand, and for every other purpose for which aviation is applicable. Training schools in England are quite unable to cope with the demand for skilled pilots. Proof of this is afforded "by the fact that the Royal Flying Corps is now granting commissions to graduates of the Kohimarama Waterplane School, near Auckland, and is paying their passages to Great Britain for final training. Lord Montagu, in a recent speech in London, made a direct appeal to the oversea*) Dominions to join in providing an Imperial Air Service. He said -be hoped to see its pilots drawn from all parts of the Empire. It is claimed that New Zealand is exceptionally well suited for defence by aeroplanes. It is isolated by thousands of miles from any possible hostile base whence an aerial attack could be launched. An aerial fleet could be concentrated to meet an attack at any point between the North Cape and the Bluff. The proprietors of the Aviation Company, from whicn we are largely quoting, states that the promoters have been , primarily actuated by the desire to help in winning the war, and to defend t-bis Dominion in the future. They further desire to draw attention to the proposal as an investment, and they consider that a reasonable return on the capital invested may be secured. The first cost of the machines ordered by Mr Wigram is approximately £2,500. Sources of revenue include teaching fees, exhibitions, passenger fares, agencies and repairing. It is claimed that in a country like this the possibilities are boundless. Christchurch can be reached from Wellington in two or. three hours, and very general use Of aeroplanes for mail and other purposes between these two centres is possible. It is anticipated that sufficient pupils are now available to keep the macnines ordered in constant use for some time to come, at £IOO fee for each complete course. Other countries are well ahead in aviation, and it is realised that New Zealand may be placed at some great disadvantage unless it has its own trained men for air defence and for other aerial purposes. The prospectus and memorandum of association of the Canterbury Aviation Company is interesting owing to its uniqueness. There are no promoters’ free shares, no preliminary secretarial work to pay for, and members of the Stock Exchange are handling the s-bares free of commission, owing to the national usefulness of such a company. One 'only needs to read the memorandum of association to realise that New Zealanders have either to become self supporting in the matter of aviation, or its people are to be at the mercy of the aerial death traps that they will otherwise assuredly pur chase from some cheap Yankee or other source. The prospectus, issued on the 20th September, is fascinating in its distinctive novel tv.