A POIGNANT TOUCH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5329, 21 September 1928, Page 2

A POIGNANT TOUCH.

“ KISS HIM, SMITHY AN INCIDENT AT WELLINGTON. What, has been said and written in New Zealand and Australia about the flyers would supply enough reading to fill a library, and much of it would have: its humour and pathos. The .following extract is from the Wellington Dominion, and tells of a happening on the occasion of the landing of the flyers in the city : — The first episode, after “Smithy” had saluted the great assemblage: in; his characer.istically friendly way, was one of extrfeme pathos—a tribute fre ; m weak, afflicted childhood to the: strong. It took the form of wreaths of laurel, titivated y with sprays of wattle and New Zealand ferns, and bound with. red. white, and blue ribbons, which were placed ovea 4 the head.; of the aviators by tblf children from the 'Wellington Hospital with infantile paralysis. The disparity between the,se decrepit little ones, who had to be. held up by their attendants in order to handle the wreaths, and the heroes of .the air, who “bore their blushing honours thick . upon them,” w’a,s almost too poignant, and not a few sheld tears of pity. But. to. the children concerned it was a. great occasion—the event of a perhaps somewhat tedious lifetime.—and they were thrilled *t.o dumbness by the wonder of it all. The human note came bluntly when Forde—a little atom of afflicted humanity—had placed his wreath on the shoulders of Squadrqn-Leader Kingsford Smith. There, ensued a slight pause as the ethers executed their tasks, when suddenly a sharp-ton(ed woman’s voice rang out, “Kiss him,, Smithy!” If, was electrical. The audience seconded the motion 1 with a roa.r, and “Smithy” took up the. challenge at once, saying, “Sure, 1 will and gave the youngster a hearty salute on the cheek. The habit immediately spread. Pernaps the, most embarrassed ope was Mr Litchfield, whose wreath caime from a girl in her ’teens. The young man seemed to hesitafe, when a soft crooning voice (not at all like th& first one) said lazily, “Kiss him, duck!” and, “Lit.ch” did as lhe was bid.