Wirarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1939. EMPIRE AIR CO=OPERATION.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 December 1939, Page 4

Wirarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1939. EMPIRE AIR CO=OPERATION.

AS the Prime. Minister (Mr Savage) observed in a statement on the subject. yesterday, Ihe purpose ol the Empne <lll training scheme, on which complete agreement has now been reached, “is to achieve by co-operative effort. within the British Commonwealth air forces of a strength so overwhelming as to defeat any possibility of enemy attack. Early outlines of the scheme suggested that the advanced training of airmen from all the Dominions, as well as that 01. many from the United Kingdom, would be concentrated in Canada. The scheme has been modified under discussion, however, anil schools for air pilots are now to be set up in all the participating Dominions, though from Mr Savage’s statement it appears that the training of air observers, wireless operators and air gunners will be undertaken, so far as the Dominions are concerned, only in Australia and Canada.

The broad effect, of the modifications agreed upon apparently is that air training on a considerable scale will be distributed much more widely throughout the Empire t' ia, J was at first contemplated. Factors of population and ol technical and industrial development limit the part that New Zealand meantime is capable of playing, but even this country will be making within its own borders a very considerable contribution to the Empire air training scheme and in addition ■will send contingents of airmen to other Dominions for training that cannot be given here.

On the broad facts meantime in sight it would appear that this great scheme of Empire air force co-operation has been built/up and extended notably and that its useful possibilities have been correspondingly increased. It may be assumed that nothing has been agreed upon or will be that would conflict with the essential aim of building up an Empire Air Boice which will be organised and employed in the war theatre or theatres where its power will tell with maximum effect in the cause to which the Empire and its Allies are committed. At the same time, however, a reasonable distribution of training and other activities throughout the Dominions will enable each of these oversea countries to make much better provision than would otherwise be possible lor its own local defence should the need arise. Loyal collaboration with the rest of the Empire will enable each Dominion to strengthen itself individually. Possibilities in this category are brought out conspicuously in the announcement that Australia is to train 26,000 airmen, of whom 10,400 will be pilots and in the observation of the Federal Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) that the adjustment of the original scheme under which most of the men were to have been trained in Canada was made on the r eP r ®" sentations of the Commonwealth Government, which emphasised the value that participation in the scheme would be to Australia s security if a greater part of the training were completed .within the Commonwealth. The considerations which have thus been acted upon evidently apply in a measure to New Zealand. On all grounds it is plainly desirable that the present scope and scale ol air training in this country should be extended and enlarged. Like othei Dominions, New Zealand can make a more effective contribution to the Empire air training scheme, while at the same time making better provision than has been made hitherto lor her own defence and security. Details of the development thus brought into prospect of: course must be determined under expert guidance. Looking both to present war demands and to a longer future, however, it will no doubt be agreed that exceptional opportunities exist for co-operation between Australia and New Zealand where air development is concerned and that the most be made of these opportunities. It need not be implied that New Zealand will be under the necessity permanently of leaving this or that technical, industrial or other branch of air enterprise exclusively to Australia. On the contrary, the aim of this country undoubtedly should be to broaden progressively the range of its air force and air transport activities. Even if they were in all respects on an equality, industrially and in other respects, however, New Zealand and Australia would still have much to gain from co-operating in these activities to the greatest extent possible. That the closest co-operation between the two Dominions is desirable in the conditions that exist at present is beyond question.