FLYING, FINANCE AND POLITICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3848, 22 September 1928, Page 4

FLYING, FINANCE AND POLITICS.

At the close of the State luncheon to the trans-Tasman flying men on Tuesday, Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and his companions were accorded a farewell no less enthusiastic and spontaneous than the demonstration made on their entry. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith, in the course of his remarks, said that a flight across the ocean was a matter of only a few hours, but it entailed a matter of weeks in preparation. If it had not been for the untiring organising work of Flight-Lieutenant Uhn they would never have been in a position to make the flight. Flight-Lieutenant Dim. commented on a remark made by the Leader of the Opposition that lie would be pileased to accompany them on the return journey to Australia. Turning to the Prime Minister he then added, “if it is of any use to you sir, we will carry him back. (Laughter). But before the Leader of the Opposition accepts, perhaps I should remind him that a Belgian millionaire named Loewenstein took a trip across the English Channel by air.” (Renewed laughter). Mr Coates had said that they were without a shilling in their pockets before commencing the flight across the Pacific. As a matter of fact, they had less. On one occasion they flew to Los Angeles and had sixty cents between the four.of them. That provided for lunch and a packet of cigarettes, and they gave the dinner a “miss in baulk.” “Smithy,” on an empty “tummy,” talked quite differently then about his (Ulm’s) organisation. (Laughter). Of all the nice things that had been said of them, he went on, they could wish for nothing better than to be called Anzacs. It was a fine thing that the flight across the Tasman had been made by four ex-service men, and lie added that it was also a fine thing that the Prime Minister of New Zealand and the Prime Minister of Australia were both ex-ser-viee men and had been decorated.