POPULAR AIRMAN

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1932, Page 6

POPULAR AIRMAN

6IR CHARLES- KTNGSFORD-SMITH

SYDNEY, June 20. The knighlthood conferred on “Smithy,” as he will continue to be known to alii Australians, is certainly the most popular of the honour's distributed on th e King’s Birthday on til's ® the ■world.. The gifcat flyer r himself received the news with characteristic modesty, and expressed some 6 embarrassment at the prospect of being addru'iged in future as "Sir U.iarles.” All interview with the av'ator's wife = which appeared /in the “Dai’lv Telcgraph” throws an interesting light on the intimacies of “Smithy’s’! domestic existence. His young wife made a charming “subject” for the interviewer—for I refuse to believe that any j young scribe from Elizabeth Street invented the whole of this delightful , ’ conversation. “I’m terribly glad for , Charle’s .sake,” slhe said, on being } told the good news by the reporter; , and she went on to admit that the new title seemed a ilittle oppressive to her. “I’ve often thought that 1 1 wasn’t th e right- kind of wife for such an important man,” she said, “and [ it’s worried me; but at least I’ve j , made him wear decent clothes.’’ She , set off at once -for Canberra, where “Smithy” wars tllien “barnstorming,” as hg terms it, “because,” she- con-. ' .fided to the reporter “if I don't watch him, he'll go to the Governor- ‘ l General’s dinner on Saturday with

| golf isoclcs on.” NEGLECTED BY OWN COUNTRY. It is on record that Sir Charles ' Kingsford-Smitih lactuatljy appeared 'at the Governor-General’s dinner, no doubt in correct regalia, and he was duil|y complimented ajnd praised by the distinguished host and the guests. But lie, in turn, has confided to the 'inevitable interviewer that, while, the honour is acceptable, he would very much like to get something j more substantial in the form of a job. ' Over here it is regarded as nothing less than a national scandal that this man who is, by the common consent of the world’s experts, adjudged the greatest aviator of the age, has been entirely neglected in .bis own country, so far as occupation or employment is concerned. He is, as lfi<s wife has said, “really an awfully good Australian,” and he admits that ho has bad very lucrative offers to gf> abroad. “I could have been a comparatively rich man after my Atlantic flight,” lie told the “Sydney Morning Herald” reporter, “if I bad consented to become a naturalised American and remain in the United | States.” But he preferred his own country, and, though he lias always been, ready for employment here, no j, opportunity has come bis way. At | ( the time when lie received news of ( liifi knighthood, “the grestest fiver ( on earth” was at tire Federal capital j arranging to give lessons on aviation and taking up local residents for jov rides at IDs per bead! ‘ A POSITION IN PROSPECT.

This seems to me a positive disgrace fio Australia, find it is good news to learn that, there is now some chance for “Smithy” to secure the post of Controller of Civil Aviation for the Commonwealth. The present Controller, Colonel Briiasmead, tyas seriously injured in an aeroplane