SOUTHWARD-BOUND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 225, 22 September 1928, Page 9

SOUTHWARD-BOUND.

AIRMEN LEAVE SUNDAY.

MAY CIRCLE OVER CITY.

IF WIND IS FAVOURABLE.

TAKE-OFF AT HTOMATAO, 12.30 P.M.

The Southern Cross airmen will leave Auckland for the South at 12.30 p.m. tci-morrow. According to advice received from Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith, who is to-day motoring back to Auckland from Wairakei, he and his companions will leave the Grand Hotel for Ihumatao at 11 o'clock to-morrow. They will have lunch at the aerodrome and take off in the three Bristol planes for Hawera. If there is a following wind to-morrow morning the airmen may circle over the city before setting their course for Hawera, but if there is a head wind it will not be possible for them to take an aerial farewell of Auckland. Nothing will be decided until to-morrow. The airmen hope to reach Hawera about 3 o'clock. They will stop at Hawera only to refuel the planes, and immediately that is done they will leave for Wanganui, where people will be in large numbers, awaiting their arrival at the Westmere racecourse. After the civic reception they will stay the night at Foster's Hotel, as the guests of the management, and on Monday leave about 9.30 for Blenheim. After refuelling and having luncheon they will leave for Wigram Aerodrome, where they are due about 3.30 p.m. Visit Dunedin Next Week. The itinerary of the airmen on their southern flight from Christchurch has not been fixed, but it is provisionally as follows:— Tuesday: Leave Sockburn at 10 a.m. Tuesday, for Papakaio, adjacent to Oamaru. After refuelling, leave for Dunedin, arriving there between 1.30 and 2 p.m. Wednesday: Leave Dunedin at 11 a.m., arriving at Washdyke, near Timaru, at approximately 12.15 p.m. Leave Washdyke not later than 2 p.m. Arrive Sockburn 3 p.m. Thursday will be devoted to certain tests in the Southern Cross as to navigation and wireless telegraphy. It is the present intention of Kingsford Smith to leave for Blenheim at 2 p.m. on Friday, and to wait for favourable conditions for a hop-off for Australia. A BRIEF HOLIDAY. AIRMEN VISIT WAERAKEL (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) ROTORUA, Friday. The trans-Tasman airmen, accompanied by Captain M. W. Buckley and Captain J. L. Findlay, of the New Zealand Air Force, and Mr. D. Ardell, representing the Internal Affairs Department, arrived at Wairakei about 2 o'clock to-day, after having stopped at Waiotapu to see the geyser play. They saw the wonders of Wairakei in the afternoon, and spent a quiet evening before leaving for Auckland to-day. While returning to Auckland the airmen were expected to visit the Arapuni •hydro-electric works, and also the Lichfield School. ARRIVAL ON A SUNDAY. ANGLICAN CLERGY PROTEST. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, this day. Anglican clergymen met this morning and passed a resolution protesting against the visit of the airmen being arranged for Sunday, on the grounds that it was unnecessary for such a special event to take place on a Sunday, that it interferes with quiet and rest, with divine worship, and with the training of children in Sunday schools, and that it involves unnecessary Sunday labour. This resolution was in contrast with an invitation sent by the warden of another local church to "Smithy" to attend his church on Sunday evening.