HINKLER’S FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1928, Page 4

HINKLER’S FLIGHT

WIFE GOING TO AUSTRALIA. RUGBY, Alarcli I. Mr Bert Hinkler, who is being feted in Australia, has cabled to bis wife asking her to go to Australia to share in the rejoicings over the success of his great flight, and she is leaving next week. It is unlikely that Air Hinkler will return to England for some time. A AVAGER SETTLED. AIRS HINKLER’S STORY. The arrival at Port Darwin of Air .Bert Hinkler settles u wager he made with Air Francis Birth's. who lias been motoring to Australia, and who is now between Calcutta and Rangoon. stated a recent Loudon message. When the airman was seeing Dirties off in October be undertook to beat liim to Australia in spite of Birtlcs’s three months’ start. Birth's replied; “l will get a lot of little Iminps, and you will get one big one.’’ “Afy husband did not wish to bet oil the lliglit,” said Airs Hinkler, re-

furring to tho Lloyds insurance, which I,ho iiirimin failed to complete. “He miil.V nim«d lit, cfUiibliiihiiig n record, ini,l hi. Inn, now ncliiovod his life’s iiiiilii(ioii,‘‘ A ling was llown from oyoiv Mii If hI A mil riilin I louse wlion 111,. 11„wti wus received ol Hinkler's din iobi>, Mrs 11 inUh i remained tip nil night iiiviiiting in ws id ilih niiivnl. Mil" did- liol lliivo her own telephone, mid nii'iinpod with n neighbour (o 111j111 i lih me.'iNiigo 11"' moment the nows .mull. She lirsl. lion id of Iho triumph 111 ini n London no ws |in pi *i", which, in view of I In- intense interest, kept '•< powerful cm- n'.nl.v, with tin- engine running mid 11 photographer and repurl cr sciilod inside, awaiting tin wnnl lo rush t" Criiklcwood, whore Mrs Hinkler wn« slaying. the instant lie news wns Hushed from A ust inl i.i. The enrlv editions nl the nlteriioon newspapers pnlilished the event, lind U,,.,, |,.1,..,,1,,,n0 mol telegraph eonK rnl nhitions h'gau 1,1 I M)UI ' So ninn.v newspapers sent messages seeking interviews flint. .Mrs Ifinkloi ||,.,1 In fsoiifliiiunifiin. She said that she I',.|| ns if a great weight had hoon lilted from her mind. She would sleep well for the, fust time in a fortnight. Kiuli night ns she. retired to lied she i oiild not help realising that her lmsliaml was selling out 011 another danger..,is stage. .Mrs Hinkler has not seen Australia, but she and her husband have planned lo go out, probably hv air, soon after his return to England. Mrs Hinkler lost a pearl earring, hut said she was not superstitious, and had always been unlucky that way. “Fortunately my husband is different,’’ she concluded. Mr Hinkled cabled to his wife: “Australia at last. Great congratulations. Love. Bert.”