NEW ZEALAND'S AIR POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1919, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND'S AIR POLICY.

NOT TO BE DECIDED YET. (From Our Own Correspondent,) Wellington, Aug. 21. It appears that definite information regarding the Government's air policy will not be available before the session of Parliament. Ministers are in possession of the report of the Air Advisor, Colonel A. V. IJettinglon, but the matter has not come before Cabinet, and obviously it will.not now be dealt with by the present Government at all. A big question of policy is involved, and with the reconstruction of the Ministry in sight the Minister for Defence naturally will hold the report over until conditions are settled.

Colonel Bottington lias made definite suggestions, which would cost New Zealand a lot of money if they were carried into effect. It remains to he seen how far the Government is prepared to go. Nobody doubts that the development of the aeroplane for commercial and military purposes is going tn 1)3 rapid, and that every country "wishing to keep up with the times will have to use the machines. But it is also certain that a great deal of experimental work will he done during the next few years, and there is something to be said from New Zealand's point of view in favor of watching progress in older countries before adopting costly schemes, A development that is assured is the establishment at a fairly early date of a Government aerodrome, which can be used in the meantime as a central station for the housing of aeroplanes which the Imperial Government is ready to supply, and perhaps for a limited amount of experimental work. The site of this aerodrome is expected to be Rockbivrn, where the Canterbury Avialinn Company is at present established. The Government has been in communication with the company, hut no definite, plans involving the acquisition of the aerodrome have vet been mado.