18 DECEMBER 1936, Page 3

One incident, however, did generate some heat, and that was

the question of the Court of Inquiry into the circumstances of the crashes of six out of the seven aircraft of Number 102 Squadron last Saturday. Captain Balfour demanded that particular attention should be given at this inquiry to certain considerations which he named. Sir Philip Sassoon, instead of giving the necessary assurance, took refuge in the assertion that "he could say nothing further while the Court of Inquiry was still sitting." This did not satisfy Captain Balfour, and to the accompaniment of cheers from all parts of the House he pressed for a specific answer, and finally when none was forthcoming he was " reluctantly " forced to give notice that he would raise it on the adjournment. The matter was satisfactorily settled on Wednesday afternoon, when Sir Philip Sassoon gave the assurances that he had so foolishly withheld the day before.