SMITHY AGAIN IN ROTORUA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 433, 18 January 1933, Page 6

SMITHY AGAIN IN ROTORUA

A CORDIAL RECEPTION BAD 'WEATHER ON JOURNEY WITH MUCH BLIND FLYING The ai'rival of th'e Southern Cross in Rotorua yesterday afternoon aroused great enthusiasm among the crowd of over 2000 persons who assembled on the landing ground at Te Ngae. No sooner had the bigmonoplane been sighted than eheering commeneed and Sir Charles was Jiterally mobbed th„e moment he hrought the machine to a standsfill. The Maoris gave a dance of welcome and the whole crowd sang ."For He's a Jolly '-Good Fellow." The trip from New Plymouth was a difficult one owing to heavy cloudi. banks ahd much blind flying was necessary. One of the accompanying 'planes was compelled to land at Cambridge and the other at Hamilton. Both, however, arrived in Rotorua later.

"Ai-e-e-e! Here he are!" sang out the" inevitable small boy, this time a Mftibri, who. was first to sight the Southern Cross 'plane as piloted by "Smithy" she winged her way around thje side of Ngongotaha Mountain follo\Ving the line of the main road around Lake Rotorua bound for the impromptu landing ground at Te Ngae. .There were over two thousand people there and they had been waiting for several hours, but with a characteristic gesture "Smithy" thought of those others who were tied to offices and shops, tied to a bed of sickness or harassed housewives whose home duties would not allow them to go out to the landing ground, and he turned aside to make a circuit over Rotorua town so that all should see the " 'plane which has encircled the globe.' There was a warm welcome waiting for him at Te Ngae too, for with the alternate surges of hope and disappointment as the weather looked fine or had there had not been wanting in thfc crowd prophets of woe, Cassandras who croaked that "Smithy" would tufn back and ati times the faces of the watchers were as overcast as the skie.s. But it took more than a bit of fog and mist to turn back the man whe ; had thrice crossed the Tasman to say 1 nothing of a Pacific on. two with an Atlantic thrown in. "Smithy" started, and he duly arrived — a bit late but still— he arrived. When the big plane with its glistening silver wings was seen silhouetted against the falling sun in the west miirmurs of welcome arose and as he came up from the south the murmur swelled to a roar and' this again to one or two shrill cries of fear mingled with laughter as he swooped down to the waiting crowd and skimmed some fifty feet above their heads. It was then that one or two enterprising youth's who had fancied themselves rather above the rest and had clambered on to the roofs of cars, descended with more speed than elegance. After twice circling above the landing ground the big 'plane gently skimmed the treetops on the south west corner and came to rest facing east. It was a perfeet three-point landing wheels and tailskid touching the earth' simultaneously. An Eager Crowd Despite all previous warnings the crowd rushed the 'plane as it gently taxied back and it was only Providence and the efforts of the territorials, police and willing helpers that saved some venturesome (onO might better have applied another word) urchins (of all" ages to sixty) from being decapitated. However, the plane duly chme to rest and a yell of welcome mingled with the tooting of motor hbrns, signalised the fact that "Smithy" was back in Rotorua after fotir years absence. First to greet him were Major R. Dansey and Mr. J. D. Painton represehting the Rotorua Returned Soldiers Association and then some of his friends, including Squadron Commander Isitt, of the New Zealand Air Force. Then came the Maori welcome and it was a thrilling one. Up came Guide Bella followed by a bevy of beauties frdm the Tuhorurangi tribe and in a trice "Smithy" and Bella were rubbing noses in traditional tribal way. Then the tribal representatives burst into a haka of welcome swinging their green boughs and anon striking the "Southern Cross" in token of blessing. Bella lost no time in welcoming ' "Smithy" and introduced the members of the troupe. A Civic Welcome Mr. T. Jackson, Mayor of Rotorua, extended a welcome to the famous flyer on behalf of the citizens of Rotorua Maori and Pakeha alike, saying that the welcome to "Smithy" — for Air' Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith would always be known to them in Rotorua by that name — was sincere. The Rotorua people did not wear their hearts on their sleeve, but their welcome to-day was as sincere as it.had been four years ago when they Had first welcomed him in their midst.

His was an illustrious record for he, whilst flyers might come and go, remairied shining like a bright polestar. He was an inspiration to them for there was something stable and permanent about his flights. 'Before "Smithy" could answer the crowd led by Mr. Painton burst into "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and cheers were heartily given for the flyer and his staff. On the ground to welcome the flyers were the Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, Mr. H. P. Ford, chairman of the coupty council; Squadron Commander L. Isitt, Mr. L. J. Bayfeild (Tourist Department); Major R. Dansey and Mr. J. D. Painton, Rotorua R.S.A.; and Mr. M. Steele, local representatiVe Vacuum Oil Co. . . The landing was made in a cross wind at 5.3 o'clock.