AUCKLAND GIFT AEROPLANE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2924, 9 November 1916, Page 8

AUCKLAND GIFT AEROPLANE

OVERSEAS CLUB' ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

The Hon. Arthur Myers, M.P., president of the Overseas Club, has received, nor the medium of Mr. Evelyn Wrench, organiser of the Overseas Club in London, a letter from the Secretary to the WaTOfficc, reading as follows :— "I am the Army Council to acknowledge the receipt of chequo for £2500. which has been collected by the Auckland Provincial Aeroplane Fimd Committee to pay for an aeroplane for the uso of tho Royal Flying Corps. Tho council desire that an expression of their great gratitude for this gift should be convoyed to the generous donors. I am, however, to acquaint you that it is regretted that arrangements cannot bo made for tho machine to have a pilot from Auckland, as officers of the Royal Flying Corps have to serve as and when required. I am to add that arrangements will ho made for tho aeroplane to bear the desired inscription, 'Auckland,' and photographs of the machine, showing the inscription, ■ will be forwarded to you later, for transmission to the donors. "Although it was tho wish of tho people of Aucidand," said Mr. Myers, "that their gift machine should be piloted by an" Auckland aviator, I feel sure that on xhe representations made by the Secretary to the War Office they will be quite satisfied to leave the matter in the hands of those responsible for the disposition of our- air fleet,_ 'feeling assured that New Zealand aviators can be trusted to earn their fair share of honour in whatever field of conflict and whatever machine they may be directed to operate. "Three New Zealanders in particular have already distinguished themselves," added Mr. Myers. "Everyone will remember how Liout. Rhodes-Moorhouse, although mortally wounded when on a reconnoitring expedition over the enemy's lines, by tho sheer strength of liis brave, undaunted spirit, kept the life in himself until ho flew back more than 30"miles to make his report to Base Headquarters before ho died. Lieut. Caldwell, of Auckland, recently brought down, single-handed, an enemy aeroplane on the battlefront in France. Lieut. Brandon, who has already been decorated twice for skill and daring in attacking Zeppelins, only left Wellington after the outbreak of war, and was the first man to demonstrate to the Home authorities that Zeppelins can bo combated by aeroplane fire in tho air.

"It is a matter of gratification," remarked Mr. Myers, "that our foremost authority on aerial defence matters, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, lias recently paid a generous tribute of praise in regard to the performance of overseas aviators during this great war. I feel assured that New Zealand is fully alive to the important part that the air service will play in the future, both in regard to the question of defence and in connection with industrial activities. So far as Dominion support of onr fighting air service during the present war is concerned, I am hopeful that our contribution to date of four gift machines may bo increased to a number worthy to be compared with the achievements of Now Zealand aviators on active service. "As indicating'tho appreciation with which the services of the Royal Flying Corps are being mot in other portions of our Empire," commented Mr. Myers, "ono observes from recont cablegrams that, in addition to the numbers of gift machines already presented by her, loyal little Mauritius has cabled Homo a sum sufficient to purchaso 30 of'the strongest and best aeroplanes procurable for service with the Royal Flying Corps, and that since the outbreak of war the Royal Malay States have presented no fowcr than 45 aeroplanes to the War Office. Theso, surely, are the greatest possiblo incentives to ovory part of the Empire to do its sharo in maintaining 'the strength of our invincible air fleot.' 1