FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1918
1918 - 1266.PDF
NOVEMBER 7, 1918 AVIATION IN PARLIAMENT. Aircraft Damage and CompensationSIR JOHN BUTCHER, in the House of Commons on October 28th, asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that where a houseinsured by the owner or tenant with the Government against aircraft damage has been seriously injured by a hostile air raid, and where owing to the delayof about six months on the part of the Ministry of National Service to issue the necessary licence for reinstatement of the premises the owneT or tenanthas had to take other premises pending reinstatement, the War Risks Insur- ance Committee refuse to make any compensation to the tenant for theloss incurred by him owing to such delay ; and whether he will issue instruc- tions to the War Risks Committee to award proper compensation in suchcases ? The President of the Board of Trade (Sir A. Stanley) : If lhe hen. Barcnetwill send me particulars of the case to which he refers it will be inquired into, but it must be understood that there is no power to pay compensationbeyond what is provided in the terms of the policy. Sir J. Butcher : When one Government Department insures a personagainst loss and that logs is materially increased by the action of another Government Department, does tie incoming Department admit liability topay the increased loss ? Sir A. Stanley : As I have already said, 1 cannot go into details of a par-ticular case .It would be impossible to give a reply to such a hypothetical case as that put by the hon. member. Sir J. Butcher : I will send them to my right hon. friend. Discharged Soldiers in Aerodrome BuildingCAPT. GLYNN, on October 29th, asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry if he will say what number of discharged soldiers are em-ployed at the various aerodromes now in process of construction in Ireland and wiiat proportion in each case their number bears to the total of employes ?Maj. Baird : The particulars asked for are as follows :—Tallaght, 360 discharged soldiers, being 25 per cent, of the men employed. Baldonnel :192 discharged soldiers, being 16 per cent, of the men employed. •Gorman- stown : 120 discharged soldiers, being 13 per cent, of the men employed.Collinstown : 60 discharged soldiers, being 6 per cent, of the men employed. Influenza at BlandfordMR. ARNOLD WARD (by Priv&U Notice) asked the Under-Secretaxy of State to the Air Ministry whether a serious epidemic of influenza and septicpneumonia broke out at the Royal Air Force Camp at Blandford, Dorset^ shire, in the week ending October 19th ; whether the epidemic increased invirulence during the week ending October 26th ; whether many hundreds of cases occurred last week and many deaths every day, mostly of very younglads ; whether the-Thedical arrangements have been utterly inadequate to deal with the epidemic ; whether there has been and still is a grave insuffi-ciency of docotrs and nurses : whether the sick men are lying on very dirty straw mattresses, and whether there is an utter lack of necessaries and com-forts of every description, and especially a great dearth of utensils, crcckery, bedding, and blankets ; whether there has been any organisation of localsupplies and local assistance ; whether the Dorsetshire Red Cross have been called upon to give help ; whether all last week, when the epidemic was at itsheight, hundreds of fresh men and young lads were arriving daily in this infected camp ; whether fresh men are still being sent to the camp, and whatsteps are now being taken to deal with the situation ? Tie Under-Secretary of Stalfi^to the Air Ministry (Major Baird) : Theprevailing influenza epidemic reached Blandford Camp on September 21st, and has continued to the present date. The number of cases increased inthe week ending October 25th, during which 252 cases were reported ; of these 198 were sent to hospital. The number of deaths since Septemberzrst is 59. The average daily strength of the camp is about 15,000. Since the epidemic started five additional doctors and 19 additional nurses havebeen sent to deal with the situation. The hospital accommodation has been materially extended, and recourse has been had to semi-official agencies.My information does not bear out the suggestion that sick men are allowed to lie on dirty straw mattresses, and everything possible is being dene toprovide necessaries and comforts. For administrative reasons, independent of the epidemic ,the drafting of Tecruits to the camp has been stopped fora period of one week. R.A.F. Aerodrome Site in Suffolk SIR DANIEL GODDARD on October 30th asked the Under-Secretary forState to the Air Ministry whether it is intended to take 105 acres oi land in Suffolk for the purpose of an aerodrome ; and whether he is avwre that thisis good agricultural land under cultivation and that theTe is available heath land in close proximity ? Major Baird : It is not now intended to proceed with the proposal referredto in the right hon. member's question. R.A.F. Youths and Service Abroad _ MR. BRYNE asked the Under-Secretary of State to the AiT Ministry ifhe is aware that boys of 17 years of age who recently joined the Air Force in Dublin have been drafted overseas ; and if he will see that boys will notbe sent out of Great Briatin and Ireland until they reach the age of 19 years ? Major Baird : The answer to the first part of the questicn if in the amima-tive. The terms of enlistment of these youths, which are statfd en their forms of attestation, provide for liability for service overseas, and it is notproposed to make any change in the existing practice to which no objection is seen having regard to the conditions of service in the R.A.F. abroad.Parachutes MR. MORRELL asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministrywhat progress has been made in the proposed application of parachutes to aeroplanes for the purpose of saving life ; whether it has been decided tosanction their use for aeroplanes at the front; and whether any will be allotted to training machines in this country ?Major Baird : Sufficient progress with experimental parachutes for use tor aeroplanes has been made to justify their provision for certain types ofmachines for use in France. Aeroplane Man Service MR. FIELD asked the Postmaster-General whether he has any officialinformation showing that an aeroplane postal service is about to be started wrtween Kew York and Chicago: and whether he will consider the advisa-ijy of starting an aeroplane mail service between London and Dublin ? Mr. Pease: I am aware that mails are being conveyed by aeroplane betweencertain cities in the United States. The question of establishing aerial mail services between places in the British Isles is being kept in view, but I cannotsay when it will be possible to bring any services into operaticn. R.A.F. and ChevronsMR. HOGGE on October 3rst asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether he will explain why airmen are not permitted to wearchevrons f or service ? The Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry (Major Baird) : The Aircouncil have very carefully considered the question of chevrons, and the "mentions of service in the R.A.F. have been found to make it impossible toiST" t th i dd i N h A ihhe R.A.F. h m p infliiST" to the Practice adopted either in the Navy or the Amy withoutinflicting injustice. . . _ . Mr. Hogge : Does that order mean that members of the Air Force are notentitled to wear these chevrons ? Major Baird : They cannot wear them with the blue uniform.Mr. Joynson-Hicks : Is it the fact that officers and men who have served in the Army and France, and have earned the chevrons, are now compelledto take them ofi ? Major Baird : The men who were engaged in the defence of London, and didnight work, but did not go overseas, would not be entitled to wear the chevrons, but the men engaged in anti-submarine work would be entitled todo so. If we adopt either the Navy or the Army principle inevitably great injustice would be done. Mr. HOGGE : May I ask what steps the Air Ministry are going to (ake toinduce airmen to utilise the new uniforms it they knew that by using them they cannot wear these chevrons ?Major Baird : As far as the men are concerned, the unifoims will be issued in due course ; and as far as officers are concerned, they will get the newuniforms when the old ones are worn out. Mr. Joynson-Hicks : I repeat my question whether officers and men whohave earned their chevrons with the Army in France are compelled to take them off when they join the Air Force ?Major Baird : I have answered that question. They cannot wear the. chevrons with the new Air Force uniform.Mr. Joynson-Hicks: Why not—they have earned them ? General McCalmont: Is there any reason why the War Office shouldnot issue orders that men serving in Air Squadrons should te entitled to chevrons ?Major Baird : That is a matter of opinion. The chevrons were given for service overseas, and service for home defence in London is not overseas.Sir C. Henry ; Can the hon. gentleman say definitely why, when they get the new uniform, they have to abandon earned chevrons ?Major Baird : I endeavoured to answer that. Is it because the terms of service in the R.N.A.F. entitled men to chevrons which would not entitlethem in service in the old R.A.F. and in the Flying Corps in the past, and therefore the chevrons would have a totally different meaning. Mr. Joynson-Hicks : I will call attention to this matter again. Candidates for the W.R.AJ. MR. WATT asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Minstry whetherhe is aware that candidates for the Women's Royal Air Force were asked to appear before a selection and medical board in the Technical College,Glasgow, in August last; that those who passed were instructed to give up the positions which they held at which they were earning their livelihood andproceed to Eltham on August 27th; that 180 arrived there on that date, and that in 10 days 150 of these were given railway warrants and returned totheir homes ; if so, will he say what compensation he proposes to pay these women for their expenses incurred and loss of situations : and whetheranyone has been censured in his Department for this transaction ? Major Baird : Twenty-two candidates were chosen by selection boardsheld at Glasgow in the month of August for appointment as probationary officers of the Women's Royal Air Force. The terms of the appointmentsmade it clear that those who accepted them were subject to confirmation in their rank after a period of training. Candidates whose selection was notconfirmed received pay during their period of probation, and were supplied with f fee railway warrants to their homes, and it is not proposed to make themfurther payments by way of compensation. The numbers attending the course at Eltham were as stated in answer to a question by the hon. Memberfor Limehouse on the 21st instant. Medical Advisory Committee SIR WATSON CHEYNE asked the Under-Secreta-y of State to the AirMinistry whether the principles laid down in the Medical Advisory CCJD- mittee's Report, 1917, are now being carried into practice ; and what progresshas been made ? Major Baird: A reorganisation of the medical arrangements of the K.A.F.is now being considered in connection with the appointment of a successor to the medical administrator.Mr. Joynson-Hicks : Does that mean that the Medical Administration Committee which was established in consequence of my hon. friend's Reporthas uow been done away with ? Major Baird : This Committee under the new arrangement will not beadministrative, but will carry out advisory functions. Sir W. Cheyne asked whether the medical administrator of the Air Servicehas resigned ; if so, why ; and what arrangements are being made in regard to a successor ? Major Baird : The resignation of the medical administrator originated ina difference of opinion hetween himself and the Medical Administrative Committee in regard to their respective spheres of responsibility. Theappointment of his successor will be made public at an early date. Mr. Joynson-Hicks : Has this appointment been offered to any officer atpresent ? Major Baird : The appointment is under consideration, and an announce-ment will be made. R.A.F. Medical Administrative CommitteeSIR WATSON CHEYNE asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether the Medical Administrative Committee has been dissolved;and, if so, why ? Major Baird : Under a reorganisation of .the medical arrangements of theR.A.F., now under consideration, the administrative functions of the Medical Administrative Committee will cease, and it will become purely advisory. Newport Aircraft Company (Wages)MR. W. ANDERSON, on November 4th, asked the Minister of Munitions why 80 semi-skilled and unskilled workers employed by the Newport Air-craft Co. have not received the 5s. addition to wages and the 12$ per cent, bonus in accordance with award 1,555 ; and whether he will cause investiga-tion to be made in view of the unrest that is being created ? Mr. Kellaway : Questions have arisen at this establishment with regard tothe payment of the award named to sections of men not directly engaged on the manufacture or repair of aeroplanes or seaplanes. A claim on behalfof one section has been referred for arbitration ; the position of the other sections is to be considered at a meeting of the Ministry arranged for to-day(November 4th), when it is hoped that the matter will be settled. The secretary of the company, who was dealing with the question previously, hasunfortunately died of influenza. Aeroplane Post (Home and Foreign Mails;MR. GILBERT asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the possibility of hostilities ending soon, be can make any statement as to theprobable use 0/ aeroplanes for postal services for both heme and foreign mails; if he is aware that the American and French postal authorities aremaking experimental services ; if he has had any reports en the same or has made any experiments in this countrv ; and, if not, whether he proposes todo so and can make any general statemnet on the matter ? Mr. Pease : I am aware of the services in the United States and France towhich the hon. member refers. There have been no recent experiments in 1267
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
