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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0634.PDF
(/OGHT JULY 27, 1916. QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. R.A.F. Witness at the R.F.C. Inquiry. MR. BURGOYNE, in the House of Commons on July 19th, asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that in the case of a witness from the Royal Aircraft Factory who recently appeared before the Judicial Committee as Mr. A, although his name was given in confidence to the said Com mittee, Colonel O'Gorman, on the afternoon of that day, communicated to the assistant superintendent of the factory, Major Heckstall-Smith, the fact that the said witness was a viewer, Mr. Valentine, and as a result Mr. Valentine was taken seriously to task by the assistant-superintendent; and will he say what action he proposes to take ? Mr. Forster: Mr. Valentine's name was not disclosed by Colonel O'Gorman. Major Heckstall-Smith identified Valentine from the Press reports of his evidence, and on his own initiative had an interview with Valentine to enable him to investigate the breaches of discipline, &c, on which Valentine had given evidence. He had no intention of taking Valentine to task, but assured him at the interview that he had a perfect right to hold any opinion he liked, and that nothing he said would be used to prejudice his position. No disciplinary action whatever had been taken against Valentine. A similar question was asked on the following day by Mr. Bennett-Goldney. Mr. Bennett-Goldney also asked whether, as the War Office itself set up the Air Committee to inquire into certain allega tions made against the administration of the Air Services in this House, if the recruiting officer concerned received an official or unofficial message from the War Office to issue a warrant for the arrest of one of the principal witnesses giving evidence before the Committee as an unattested man ; and whether, as the hon. Member for East Herts had been medically examined and placed in a class for Home defence, he will give an assurance, so as to prevent any possible mis understanding, that the question of issuing such a warrant at such a time was not intended in any way to prevent any evidence being given, but that it was purely a matter of indiscriminate routine ? « ' Mr. Forster : I cannot find that any warrant for the arrest of the hon. Member for East Herts was ever issued or con- tnnplated. He was called up automatically, and any suggestion that there was any departure from the usual procedure or that there was any interference of any sort or kind by superior authority in this case is without foundation. As a fact, what took place was, as the hon. Member suggests, " a matter of indiscriminate routine." The House, and also the hon. Member for East Herts, will, I am sure, agree in desiring that no discrimination should be made in this matter in favour of Members of the House. Waste of Petrol at Aerodromes. MR. KING, on July 19th, asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, who had outlined the steps taken to pre vent waste of petrol in camps, if similar care was taken with the waste of petrol that is going on at aerodromes, which was very great. Mr. Forster promised to communicate with the proper authorities. Dr. Macnamara : The training schools of the Royal Naval Air Service, for which approval has been given to date, are considered sufficient to meet the requirements of that Service. All large works undertaken by the Admiralty, such as these, are carried out with the concurrence of the Treasury. The Lights o' London. SIR C. KINLOCH-COOKE asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the observation made by the magistrate at Highgate when a householder was summoned for showing too bright a light at 10.14 p.m. ; whether the penalty for the offence is £10 and the house holder was only fined is. ; and whether, in view of the danger caused by showing a bright light after the specified hour, he can see his way to make some statement supporting the inspector who gave evidence on that occasion in support of the action taken by the police ? Mr. Samuel: From the remarks made by the chairman of the Bench when passing sentence in this case it would appear that the justices took into consideration the explanations offered, and particularly the fact that the occurrence took place very shortly after lighting-up time. No intervention on my part appears to be called for. The maximum fine that can be inflicted in such cases is ^100. R.F.C. Aerodromes. Mr. Prothero asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in February last the Army Council, under the Defence of the Realm Act, took possession of some 112 acres of land at " Blank," in Hertfordshire, only 12 acres of which are grass, and that on July 13th last it was intimated that a further 100 acres of arable land adjoining the land taken in February would be required ; whether he is aware that this leaves the owner with no arable land on which to support a valuable herd of shorthorns ; whether the policy of taking arable land for flying stations or pilot schools is likely to be extended ; and whether he will consider the desirability, in the interests of food supplies, of obtaining the requisite areas from grass land rather than from arable land ? Mr. Forster : If I have identified^*-' Blank " correctly, the answer to my hon. friend is that before the site in question was finally selected all the land in the locality was carefully reconnoitred, with the result that no other site suitable could be found. I can assure my hon. friend that it is the policy of the Department to avoid taking arable land where other land is available ; and in the case of the Royal Flying Corps there are technical reasons connected with the work of that Corps, apart from the important question of food supply, why arable land should be avoided. Mr. Shirley Benn asked whether further aerodromes are required for training in the Royal Flying Corps ; and whether the demands in this direction, although maintained by the highest expert authority and advice, are receiving the support of the Treasury ? Mr. Forster : The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and also the second part if I have put the correct construction upon it. Mr. Watt: Is the hon. gentleman aware of the extra ordinary difficulty of getting a transfer from the class of observers into the class of pilots, and ought that to be so ? Mr. Forster: It is obvious that there must be some diffi-Alrcraft Raids and Compensation. MR. CROOKS asked the Home Secretary on July 24th • culty in a highly technical occupation such as observing whether steps will be taken to provide that workmen injured pilots. The Supply of Pilots. MR. ASHLEY, on July 25th, asked the Secretary of State , for War whether he is satisfied with the supply of pilots; and whether, in view of the growing demands of the Air Service, he will consider the claims of our public schools as nurseries for the future supply ? Mr. Forster ; I am advised that the supply of pilots is at present satisfactory. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. Egypt as a Training Ground. MR. PETO asked the Secretary of State for War whether the meteorological and geographical advantages of Egypt have been considered for training pilots for the Air Services ; and whether he proposes to establish aerodromes there before the coming winter ? Mr. Forster: The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. by enemy air raid or bombardment shall be compensated on the same basis as under the Workmen's Compensation Act when the accident is in any sense due to the nature of the employment. The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Brace) : 1 am advised that according to recent judicial decisions a workman injured by air raid or bombardment in the course of his employment will be entitled to compensation under the Act as it stands at present, if he can show that by reason of his employment he was exposed to special risk not shared by the public at large. R.N.A.S. Schools. MR. SHIRLEY BENN asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether further aerodromes are required for training in the Royal Naval Air Service ; and whether the demands in this direction, although maintained by the highest expert authority and advice, are receiving the support of the Treasury. 632 !
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