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Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1933, Page 6

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KING'SFORD . SMITH AT - SYDNEY

PRAISE FOR NEW ZEALAND

SYDNEY, March. 30.

There wen an emotional sincerity about iSq- Charles Kings ford Smith when, broadcasting over the, Au-tra'i.in national net-work, within two or three hour, 3 -after his arrival by .-aeroplane Lorn New ZeaL.nd last Sunday, he paid a remarkable tribute to the Dominion. Acknowledging the generosity and hospitality that had been bestowed upon him, lie frankly .confessed that he had made the. trip from his native a,bore because he “had mouths t 0 , feed at h-me.” With the. .-cheery tone of a philosopher he added; “And having obtained the wherewithal to feed the said mouths, for a little whi' e -at /.east, I can tak ( , a little rest -after the strain unci. the. rather big responsib-

ility.” Sir Chari?,? spoke 'for 10 minutes -and (me might say that his bro dcast was almost exclusively a tribute. t° Mew Zealand. After ex [darning that he. had flown thp Tasman “for business •reason?” he said that ho had flown tack “for the siime reasons.” It w ?s cheaper to fly back, and after all it, was really nothing. ‘Flying .-was Urn quickest means of transit. Ho- then ax pressed his desirei to pay the warmest tribute possible to the people, of Mow Zealand, and to express Ids gratitude t 0 tlrm fir the reception they had given him and for the enthusiasm that was displayed throughout, the tour.

FLYING IN DOMINION

“I have nothing but .admiration for the people of New .Zealand/’ h p said warmly. “It was the same everywhere we went, and my only regret that w P wer, G unable, to go everywhere w? might have done had we not been limited by time. I was particularly pleased to notio 0 the development of Flo Dominion’s airmindedne-rs since the Southern Cross, with Charles Uhn and my serif, was last there m 1928. “We are generously credited with ashare .in inaugurating that spirit, which has since expressed itself in the aeroc’ubs throughout the ,-oimtry. vW a result of the extraordinary enthusiasm ’n tiro <Freel-ion these clubs .'have not only become numerous, but hove developed 0 11 highly efficient fines, comparable, I think, with any other port of th? world. Tt must ,he yahl that TNew* .Zealand ba s -established very definitely for all timfi her ainnindedness, >ar.d it js gratifying to fee)—and I have been told s 0 over there—That the ‘old bus’ has been able to piny her part.

“I am deeply indebted to New Zealand for her kindly internet in me, and I want the public to realise that fact. Of course, after pirn’s work is don e it is a marvellous thing to come -home and receive such a welcome as we did to-day. It is pleasant, also, after a tour which, of course-. hu»s been physically and mentally strenuous, due to the handling of such a heavy machine, to think that o ne cm lay off, as it were, and take things more or less easily for a time at least.’’

ANOTHER V.ISIT PROBABLE

New Zealand may see Sir -Charles again before another 12 month, 3 passes, for another trip to New Zealand as well as a flight to England ,ar e included in Its plans .for’the nea r future. He explained that he. naturally felt very tired just "now, r’.id rest was imperative. . would .motor quietly with lii.s wife and child to Melbourne, probably taking a week for the journey.j For « time at least he was done with breathless upec-ds. His flight t° England depended on Iris securing six passengers. 'Captain Tayloj- would accompany him as ■ copilot and would fly the Southern Cross back ito Australia, while he himselftook charge of a. new light machine, for which he had secured the Australian agency. Whether he would attempt to lower the record from E-ng-hi >d to lAustna’ia would depend on how lie felt after lie had lnd a rest in ■Eng,r,nd;j > His Mlydng days were far from over. There was a lot loft undone, in New Zealand, and lip was determined to cross the Tasman in the Southern Cro'l3 this time next year. Hp had no intention at present of inaugurating a permanent service across the Tasman.

HIGH 'ALTITUDE FLYING

The Aeroplanes now in Australia were unsuitable, and the treacherous weather prevailing in the Tasman would militate against a regular service. High altitude flying warj the only solution. ll e , was convinced that in five or six years they would see flying in the stratosphere in Australia, and then regular trips across the Tagman would present no difficulties. Radio beacons at Sydney ancf Mew Plymouth would eliminate, much of the j-isk of the crossing. The welcome accorded to Sr Charles on his arrival at the Mascot aerodrome wag certainly remarkable- for it,g uproar, ous nature. The like of it bars seldom been isoen. Th. e crowd went almost mad with enthusiasm, and upset aIL (he arrangements that had been made for j a formal reception. All Australia wait- I ed at their radio sets to hoar what he had to s»y, but he found it -impossible to approach tho microphone. It was with the .utmost difficulty that the police protected the machine and thg aviator. A,s it- was Sir Charles was dragged through a barbed wire fence and lie -suffered severe lacerations to the leg. Ho, is one of the most, popular men in Australia to-day ( and he is assured of a warm spot In the hearts of the people for aP time, for everyone realises -his remarkable ability in th f? air. Xo true- Australian would admit that there is a better pilot to be, found anywhere. \