SOUTHERN CROSS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1929, Page 5

SOUTHERN CROSS

LEAVES FOR DERBY. A 22-IIOUR LAP. (Australian Press Association) SYDNEY, June 25. Tho Southern Cross, with 775ga1. of petrol aboard, took off from Richmond for Derby, on the first stage of the Hight to England, at 2.15 this afternoon, by which time the wind had greatly moderated. The big Fokker monoplane ran for half a mile before it lifted into the .tir, and soon it became a mere speck away in the north-western sky, which was cloudless. The Commonwealth Weather Bureau lias issued a reassuring weather report as follows: The weather is quite favourable over the inland slopes ol New South Wales. There are vers light north-west winds in Central Australia. Then there are following winds to about twenty miles per hour to the Kimberlies. The ' skies are .•tear throughout. Among those present at the aerodrove was a group of the Young Australia League hoys and college girls, who presented Kingsford-Smith with a q-rig of lavender. The crowd was o.herwiso not a large one, owing to there being uncertainty of the llicrs’ departure. A letter of introduction was taken from General Lloyd to the Prince of vYales, and also one to the Secretary of the Dominions. Ivingsford Smith expressed the opin’■on that they would cover the distance o Derby of- two thousand miles in about 22 hours. RATIO REPORTS. THE GOING PERFECT. SYDNEY, June 2.5. Radio messages from the Southern Cross late this afternoon were picked ■ip by the Amalgamated Wireless. They stated the plane was doing eighty-five knots an hour in beautiful weather. The engines were running perfectly. IN THE AIR. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 26. The Southern Cross was still in the tir all well at ten o’clock. PROGRESS OF FLY. (Received this day at 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 26. A message from the Southern Cross, timed 10.30 stated: “We are flying over a sandy desert, flying on dead reckoning at a speed of 79 knots and at an altitude of 3,000 feet.”