THE AIR FORCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1920, Page 6

THE AIR FORCE.

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS, By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Loudon, March 11. In the House of Commons, Major Tryon, Under-Secretary for the AirMinistrv, in introducing the air estimates, sli.ted that the-personnel of the Air* Force had been reduced from 104,COO to 34,000; the normal strength would be 31,500. He paid a tribute to the services of the Air Foree on the liorth-west frontier of India, in Mesopotamia, the Aden hinterland, Somaliiand, and in Kgypt. He hoped to have seven squadrons of modern aeroplanes in Egypt in April. Aerial photographs of the Nile floods had proved most useful. It, was proposed that the Air Force should have, one rigid and three 11011-rigid airships for patrol and survey purposes. He expressed pride that the great enterprises, the Cairo-Cape, Australian and Indian flights radiated from England. —Imperial Service.

REMARKS BY BISHOP CLEARY. Opotiki, March 13. Bishop Cleary and the pilot of the seaplane which brought him here from Auckland yesterday were entertained at dinner last night by the citizens. Replying to the toast of his health, Bishop Cleary emphasised that the credit. for the trip was due to Messrs. Walsh Bros, and Dexter, of Auckland. It Was due to the enterprise of these men that New Zealand was able to send a band of aviators whose work in the war made him proud to he associated with New Zealanders. He was now endeavoring to adapt this great instrument of locomotion to the service o? peace. He urged the citizens to be more enterprising Speaking of the benzine famine, Dr. Cleary referred to the possibilities of securing supplies of oil from the gumfields, and from coal slack and sawdust, which was now allowed to rot. He added a warning that as soon as production from these sources became a menace to the Oil Trusts an attempt would be made to burst them up. ' He hoped the Government in power would be strong enough to prevent this.