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IN PARLIAMENT
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
IMPORTANCE OF NIGHT AIR SERVICES.
THE question of night air-mail services was raised by Mr. Simmonds in the House of Commons last week. He thought it a tragedy that the Government should seem so satisfied with our position of inferiority to Germany. America, furthermore, had 626 air ports folly equipped for night flying whilst we had four. It had 18,655 miles of illuminated airway; we had virtually none, The Germans were flying 98 services a week ; we were not flying one, although Imperial Airways did from time to time fly at night without, however, having any scheduled night services.
He regarded the night air mail as essential from the military point of view, Pilots flying a regular night service through all weathers obtained an experience with which it would be almost impossible for a military service, run on peace-time lines, to compete. They were thus giving an extraordinary advantage to Germany.
Rear-Admiral Str Murray Sueter joined in the request that the Government should encourage night flying, which could be done by developing the air-mail services.
Several other Members spoke on similar lines, Captain Guest remarking that the net result was that literally nothing had been done by the Government.
GOVERNMENT NOT NEGLECTING NIGHT FLYING.
REPLYING, Sir Philip Sassoon, Under-Secretary of State for Air, said the Government were not neglecting, and had not neglected, night flying. It was one of the most important parts of the duties of the Royal Air Force and was carried out to a far greater degree than Members imagined, It had largely increased during the past three years. There were about 70 squadrons which practised all the year in night flying, whilst much night flying was done by other units at Earnborough and various other stations. No doubt it would be possible, by a sufficiently heavy subsidy, to set up a night air mail which Would considerably speed up the Empire air mail, and, no doubt, the experience gained by the pilots would he of value in time of war, hut it was a misapprehension to think that this would be of the greatest value. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer adopted the German method and allocated public money to the maintenance of unremunerative night air-mail services, the number of civil pilots, who would thus obtain experience of night flying, would be negligible compared
with the number who gained this experience in the R.A.F. Not more than 10 to 12 civil pilots might be trained in night flying during the year.
Mr. Simmonlls was wrong in saying that a commercial demand existed. The total daily air mail from this country to Europe amounted to 353 lb. Of this 129 lb. were carried by the Luft Hansa night service between London and Cologne. Neither France nor Belgium had night flying. The latter tried it out in 1930 or 1931, but it was discontinued and not restarted.. In Germany only :if/ per cent, of the regular air-service mileage was night-flying mileage, and it had no military service. Thus its night-flying experience could not compare with ours.. Although no regular night flying was done by imperial Airways, the .company's aircraft landed at nearly all times of the year. except in midsummer, alter dark, and some of our long-distance air services in the Empire nearly always started before dawn and landed after dark. He had no doubt that night flying on Empire air routes would come one day, and the sooner it arrived the better. When a substantial demand arose for night air setvices, the civil air companies over here would not find the Air Ministry unhelpful.
ROAD-ACCIDENT TRAINING FOR THE POLICE.
THE Home Secretary was asked whether in view of the importance of accurate police evidence in the scientific investigation of road accidents the training given on this subject to the cadets at the Metropolitan Police Col
Iege was more detailed than that given to ordinary police constables, and whether it included a practical study of road surfaces, lighting systems here and abroad, and various other safety measures.
Sir John Gilmour stated that the course of training at the College covered all these points. During that course there was more opportunity to go fully into such matters than in the much shorter course at the Training School for Constables.
MARKING JAPANESE MOTOR VEHICLES FOR EXPORT.
MR. HALES asked the Secretary of State for India if he was aware That arrangements had now been completed by Japanese manufacturers in Tokio for the importation into Calcutta and other Indian ports of a large number of cheap Japanese cars closely resembling British machines, and would he, in the interests of the buying public, communicate with the Indian Government that such cars should be plainly stamped with the country of origin.
Sir Samuel Hoare said he would communicate this suggestion to the Government of India.
Mr. Hales also asked the President of the Board of Trade if he was aware that arrangements were now being made with agents in England for the import of Japanese vehicles at a cost of less than half the price of similar British machines, and if he would make arrangements to prevent injury to the motor industry in this country by the presence of such machines on the British market.
Dr. Burgin, Parliamentary Secretary, said his attention had not been previously called to this matter, but if Mr. Hales or the trade association con-. cemed cared to furnish definite information he would give the matter his consideration.
SEPARATE ROADS FOR CYCLISTS.
THE mention by the Minister of
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of the number of cyclists, viz. 874, involved in fatal accidents during 1933, and of the fact that in 485 cases of fatal accidents in built-up areas the sole, or main, cause of the accident was the cyclist, induced the remark from Mr. Macquisten that it was time .that separate roads were constructed. for cyclists.
PETROLEUM PRODUCTION BILL.
BOTH Houses of Parliament have now L./passed the Petroleum Production Bill without serious alteration.