AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1931, Page 5

AVIATION

KINGSFORD SMITH ARRIVES. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) (Received this day at 9.25 a.m) LONDON, December 16. Kingsford Smith arrived at Croydon at 11.45 o’clock. SOUTHERN STAR MAIL. KINGSFORD SMITH’S TRIP. (Received this d y at 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, December lb. The Post Office delivered the whole of the mail, brought by Kingsford Smith, in the City of London by 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The Southern Star made a perfect, landing at Croydon. Smith said tliat lie got off tlie Le Touquet beach easily, aided by local residents pushing trie machine to firmer sands. He felt no ill effects of the carbonmonoxide poisoning which caused liis breakdown o” the previous flight. Smith is now not likely to leave for Australia before February 23rd. He experienced a hurricane blizzard in Southern Italy and had a bad hour. He did not see Colonel Brinsmead at Alorstar owing to the necessity of pushing ahead immediately, but he was still unconscious when he left. Smith is consulting the Air Ministry regarding a regular service, for which lie considers his machine is ideal, N.Z. AERO CLUB.

WELLINGTON, December 16. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Aero Club was held to-day. Officers were elected as follows: Patron : Sir Henry Wigram. President: G. M. Spence ; Vice-Presi-dents : IT. R. Dix, T. C. A. ITislop. Council: Sir F. Boys, J. Gilkilson, A. Allen. Hon. Secretary and Treasurer; S. ®. Neilson. Hon. Auditor: T. Forsyth. It was decided to allot the Wigram Cup to the club securing the highest aggregate points in the championship events at the official pageants, and the Boy-)’ Cup to (the club whose pilot wins the landing competition for “A” pilots. It was decided to hold an official air pageant for the 'South Island in Southland this, year, about tho middle of February, and in the North Island at Wanganui, under the Western Federated Aero Clubs about March 14.

It was decided that entries for pageant events be received only from clubs and not from pilots, one entry to be accepted from each ci'ub,-. items to be approved a month before the pageant, so that elimination contests could be held bv the clubs.

It was reported that as to aeroplane insurance,. no finality had been reached, The President, Sir Francis Boys, just reimuitl from England, brought lmck i definite proposals from oUe. of the largest insurance corporations in the world, to be placed before the clubs. The policy of giving official support to only two pageants, one in each Island, had been justified by the success of the functions. The Club is now affiliated to the Royal Aero Club, placing it on an equal footing with the largest aeronautical organisations in others parts of the world. The President advised he would present a cup for competition at the pageants. The President, Mr G. M. Spence, stated he was hopeful that the Auckland Aero Club would, subject to certain conditions, come in with the New Zealand Aero Chib.