CIVILIAN FLYING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 223, 20 September 1928, Page 10

CIVILIAN FLYING.

SUPPORT URGED BY AIRMEN.

cnnsm or the aero club.

"SOUTHERN CROSS GIFT PLANE."

A strong plea for the advancement oi dvil aviation was made by the speakers at a dinnef which was tendered to the Southern Cross flyers by the Auckland Aero Club at the Grand Hotel last evening. The appeal for public interest was made not only by those who spoke on behalf of the Aero Club in honour of the deeds of the intrepid aviators, but also by Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieutenant Ulm. it was urged by the visiting airmen that if aviation was to progress in New Zealand this must, in the main, be achieved through the efforts of civilian clubs such as the one which had been established in Auckland. At the dinner there was a representative gatheritg of aviation enthusiasts. Mr. Robert Burns, president of the dub, extended a warm welcome to the visiting aviators. He paid L tribute to their achievements, both in the flieht LTof th Pa ? fic ocea <? in the «£•- ing of the Tasman Sea. The Auckland iZV » w "7 et but an in fant in the world of aviation, but he trusted that it would make rapid progress, and finally become worthy of the splendid example which had been set by the Tasman flyers. (Applause.) Mr. H. T. Merritt, chairman of the club committee, joined in the welcome to the guests of honour. He said thai since the inauguration of the club splen did progress had been made. They hac something like 300 members and 5< prospective flying pupils. He eulogised the work of the committee, and in parti r«£Lr e^. Olied I the name of Ma j°' Cowper. The speaker said he had nevei " i,h * w In making a strong appeal to th< public to support the Aero Club, Mr Merritt said the creating of an "aii more with the people thai with the Government. The Auckland k club being in its infancy, was very much ■ IB need of nourishment, and he desired ■ to appeal to the public through the news- ■ papers to see if it might be possible to ■ launch an appeal for funds with which ■ to purchase a gift machine. It was pro- ■ that the machine should be called I— 1

Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith warmly endorsed the proposal for securing a gift plane. In Auckland there was the nucleus of a very efficient club. Both the enthusiasm and the ability wtfre available, but unfortunately machines were not. He would remind Auckland that Blenheim, with a population of 5000 people, had gone ahead and subsidised its own club, so that within six weeks two machines would arrive from England. It was true that if a nation were to be got "into the air" it must be through the medium of civilian clubs. The speaker paid a warm tribute to the staff of the New Zealand Air Force, who were a credit to the Dominion. (Applause.) Flight-Lieutenant Ulm expressed thanks for the welcome, and said that if aviation was to progress in Auckland the club must have a better aerodrome than the one on which they had landed that morning. He advised the members to get out and secure a better ground. In Wellington the civic authorities were showing a keen interest in the formation of an aero club, and although it might be said that Lyall Bay was at present impossible as an air base, he predicted that within six months it would be a thoroughly suitable base. In the course of his speech, FlightLieutenant Ulm paid a tribute to the memory of the late Messrs. Hood and Moncrieff, and spoke in terms of high appreciation concerning the work of Messrs. Litchfield and McWilliam on the last flight of the Southern Cross. He said that with them flying was not "stunting," and that they expected the return trip to Australia to serve as a final demonstration of the fact that flying over long disances of land and sea was a sound proposition.. He warmly supported the appeal for public support ' n the effort to obtain a gift aeroplane, °B behalf of Squadron-Leader Kings--0 Smith promised a donation for the purpose of starting the fund. (Applause.) cheque for 20 guineas was subsequently handed to the club. lhe toast of the evening, "Our Guests," was given by Major Keith Caldwell, the c »Ptain, and was received with ' toast" -T ll ™ • hon o»™g this toast, said Major Caldwell, "let us r„7w-l r the toast of the H.F.C and wish our guests 'on all occasions > happy landings."' (Loud applause )