MR OSCAR GARDEN

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 20

MR OSCAR GARDEN

WELLINGTON ACTIVITIES. GUEST OF OPTIMISTS' CLUB. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TEt.SRRIIf.) WELLINGTON, November 27". Admitting that he was not too much of an optimist when he set out on his flight, Mr Oscar Garden addressed the Optimists' Club, where he was the guest of honour at a luncheon. '• 1 must have been born an optimist," said the aviator, acknowledging the reception which had been given him. "In the first place I was very optimistic in hoping to fly to Australia, to say nothing of New Zealand, before I had learned to pilot an aeroplane, but my instructor was not quite so optimistic as I was, judging by some of his remarks when I made a bad landing. I thought that the company which laid down my supplies on the route were optimists, but I am glad to say that optimism and the Kia Ora, brought me through.'' A Nation's Progress. Captain K. \V. Haig recalled early days of aviation, pointing out that anyone who went up was not expected to get down safely. The time was, he said, when the aeroplane was looked upon as a mystery, like electricity and incomo tax, something which science did not know very much jibout. But by and by they had learned that pilots were quite ordinary fellows, as they could see by looking at Garden and himself. "A nation's progress is judged by its means of communication and transport, and to keep up the prestige of the British nation we must go ahead with our aviation development," he said. Kef erring to the Aero Club movement, Captain Haig remarked that the instructor held a very important position; he had a definite influence in building the character of the young people. ITINERARY OF VISIT. An extensive tour of the South Island has been arranged for Mr Oscar Garden, to follow his arrival in Christchurch to-morrow afternoon at 3.15 p.m. He is to visit Ashburton, Oamaru, Timaru, and Nelson. On Tuesday, December 2nd, ho will leave for Ashburton at 9 a.m., arriving at 10 a.m., and leaving again at 1 p.m. for Oamaru, where he will arrive at 2.45 p.m, finally going on to Duncdin. He will leave Dunedin at noou on December 6th for Timaru, arriving at 2.30 p.m., and leaving at 7.30 a.m. on December Bth for Nelson. On his way to Nelson he will stop at Christchurch for refuelling and will then continue his flight northward.