DOMINION AVIATION

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20497, 13 May 1938, Page 9

DOMINION AVIATION

AERODROMES BUILT

NEED IN NEW ZEALAND MR SEMPLE’S MODERN METHODS (Special Reporter) MORRINSVILLE, Friday The growth of aviation in the Dominion and the need for adequate preparations to meet further .idvan.es were referred to by the Minister of Transport and Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, during his address at Morrinsville last evening. The advances of the aeroplane in the last few years had brought it to such a stage that to-day it was evident that in a few years' time it would be the main form of travel, stated the Minister, who also replied to criticisms which had been levelled at the Labour Government's policy of building aerodromes throughout the country. “ We do not spend money just for the good of our health and we do not spend just for the fun of it," said the Minister. “ However, while transport and other problems are facing the country, any rational man will do all he can to remove them as soon as possible and that is what we have been doing. Certainly we spent £1,000,000 on aerodromes, but it must be realised that the growth of the flying machine brought many problems to be solved. To compete with other nations we must have an up-to-date commercial and military air service.

“ We do not want to go to war with any country, but while we are living in a restless world we must protect our heritage’ and the children who are to come. We must have a chain of emergency landing grounds throughout the Dominion to bring our military air service up to the required standard,” continued Mr Semple. Hawke’s Bay Disaster The recent Hawke’s Bay flood disaster was a striking example of the use to which the aeroplane could be put in times of peace, said the speaker. Government officials were able to read) tlie stricken area in’ a particu-

larly short time, film the condition and return to their headquarters in Welling!on. Then the Minister made a rapid survey of the conditions, food was sent by 'planes and in a short while tlic affected people were receiving food and assistance. These activities covered areas which would have been practically impassable by foot and the entire operation was carried out within 24 hours. Hitherto It would have taken days.

The aeroplane was a wonderful product of the inventive genius of man and it was constantly becoming an essential part of the life of the Dominion. Already it had knit the British Commonwealth of nations much more closely and had brought a closer understanding. The speaker also paid tributes to Miss Jean Batten and Flying Officer A. E. Clouston who had already given great service to the Dominion through the medium of the aeroplane. “Up to the time we came* into office £600,000 had been spent on aerodromes, under the old comic opera wasteful methods, but I could have done the same job for £200,000,”. state’d Mr Semple. “We found wheelbarrows, crowbars, picks, shovels and half-starved workmen—methods by which the pyramids were built. We have attempted to synchronise human labour and machine labour, giving the machine the hard work to do. I have introduced these methods into aerodrome construction and I apologise to no one for it.”