Reference. to the British leaning towards understatement was fade by Mr, Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, in speaking at the opening of Birmingham's new airport at Elmdon yesterday by the Duchess of Kent, "I believe," he declared, "that our it force is in many ways the finest the world, and I warn you that lir Kingsley Wood (Secretary of State for Air) does not tell you all his secrets. You may be quite sure," the Prime Minister added, "that whatever he\tells you has a great deal more behind it."
Earlier, he recalled the success of the royal tour of the North American continent. "It is perhaps too soon as yet to estimate all the effects that this visit may have. But," he added. "I am quite certain that Their Majesties have made a most valuable contribution both to the unity of the Empire and to the friendship between ourselves and the American people."
In conclusion, the Premier said he was sure that when the present period of tension came to an end, civil aviation would know an unprecedented era of development and prosperity.
Sir Kingsley Wood indicated that a Royal Air, Force reserve squadron had been allocated to the new airport, and declared that this was a reminder of the critical times in which they lived.
As part of the day's celebrations the Birmingham Corporation gave an aviation dinner last night. One of the speakers was the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Francis Shelmerdine, who said that civil aviation was faced with many difficulties, mainly due to the increased speed of rearmament.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.