1953 AIR RACE RECALLED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 18

1953 AIR RACE RECALLED

A large, framed coloured photograph taken on October 11,1953, at the conclusion of the London - Christchurch international air race was yesterday formally handed to the Christchurch City Council by the president of the then international air race council (Mr H. D. Christie).

The chairman of the City Council’s airport committee (Cr. A. R. Guthrey), accepting it on behalf of the council, said that the picture would be displayed in the airport terminal to serve as a reminder of the last of the great commercial air races.

The photograph is an aerial shot of Harewood with most of the participating aircraft lined up around the tarmac. Surrounding the photograph are the signatures of members of British and Australian Canberra crews, members of the management committee, and the names of men famous in civil, military and “political” aviaHon in New Zealand. Included are those of a former British Secretary of State for War (Mr John Profumo), who acted as a steward on the British European Airways Viscount; Sir Walter Nash, who played a significant part in assisUng the organisers of the race; the then Governor-General (Lord Norrie), and the Prime Minister (Sir Sidney Holland). Mr Christie said that the photograph was the only one

In existence. It represented to him the fulfilment of a lot of jolly hard work and it also provided a lasting record of a milestone in the city’s aviation history. He asked Cr. Guthrey to accept the photograph and expressed the hope that it would remind the public of the significant role Christchurch had played in the development of aviation in New Zealand. Cr. Guthrey, on behalf of the City Council, thanked Mr Christie and his wife, who was present, for their generosity. He said Mr Christie's name was among those dedicated few who had made it possible for the present terminal facilities enjoyed today to become a reality. Without the focus of inters national attenUon on Christ-

church during the air race the terminal building would not now be standing, he said. “We will always be grateful for the work Mr Christie did at that time to make it possible for us to persuade the Government to let us go ahead with this building and for all the developments that had eventuated from it,” Cr. Guthrey said. The presentation took place at the close of the airport committee’s meeting held at the airport yesterday afternoon.

The photograph shows Mr Christie presenting the photograph to Cr. Guthrey. It was taken by Mr L. L. White, of Auckland, one of New Zealand’s most noted aerial photographers.