▁Minister ▁and ▁gave ▁the ▁position ▁Cab inet ▁status ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁and ▁Ho are ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁post ▁until ▁January ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁when ▁a ▁Labour ▁government ▁took ▁power . ▁Lord ▁Thom son ▁was ▁made ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Air . ▁A ▁supp orter ▁of ▁air ships , ▁Thom son ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Air ship ▁Sch eme , ▁which ▁involved ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁R 1 0 1 ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ship ▁Works ▁at ▁Card ington . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁Mac Donald ▁government ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁Ho are ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Air ▁Ministry . ▁He ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁developing ▁air ▁links ▁to ▁the ▁Empire ▁and ▁Domin ion ▁countries , ▁particularly ▁India ▁and ▁South ▁Africa . ▁He ▁negoti ated ▁a ▁subs id y ▁from ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁for ▁Imperial ▁Air ways ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁service ▁from ▁C airo ▁to ▁India . ▁Ho are , ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁Lady ▁Ma ud , ▁fle w ▁on ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁ 1 3 - day ▁flight ▁to ▁Del hi , ▁leaving ▁Cro yd on ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁and ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁ 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁The ▁air ▁route ▁to ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁after ▁much ▁neg ot iation , ▁was ▁final ised ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁before ▁he ▁left ▁office , ▁but ▁only ▁comm enced ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁▁ 1 9