AERO CLUB DINNER

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

AERO CLUB DINNER

ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME TO FAMOUS FLYER Put on at very short notice a dinner of welcome was tendered to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his party at Brent's last evening. The menu was mainly New Zealand and included Rotorua trout, toheroa soup, etc. An orchestra added to the enjoyment of the evening. After the loyal toast the Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, proposed the health of Sir Charles and assured him that the f ervent welcome which he was receiving in Rotorua was sincere because really since his visit four years ago the Rotorua people looked upon him as one of themselves. - The way in which, on that former occasion, he had entered into the spirit of the welcome had endeared him to Rotorua, and'it was with "the greatest of pleasure they heard that he was making Rotorua his second port of call. Paying a tribute to the flyer he stated that it was the general opinion in Rotorua that the flights which he had made were by their methodical and careful preparation, and the fact that they, with almost miraculous' certainty, invariably at.tained their objective placed them on a pinnacle in that they had established the science of aviation upon a really scientifie basis. Ro.torua's citizens realised that aviation as a science had come to stay and

he fe.lt that the marvellous achievements of their honoured guest would be an inspiration to the younger generation., That the present was a eommercial undertaking did not detract from its scientifie value. Sir Charles thanked them for their reception and for the way in which they had welcomed him and his party to the town. "When Pire Cireumstance (in other words empty pocke.ts)" he said, "had compelled me to think of this joy-riding as a means of making a crust for that 9£lb. son of mine, I turned to think of the hospitality of N.Z. — and it is a hospitality amazing and unparalleled in my experience and unequalled in any part of the world--and wondered whether I should throw myself on the mercy of the New Zealand Aero Clubs. My friend with the ginger hair, Beau Shiel, said that I ought to and it is the best step I ever took in my life. The tour is already an unprecedented success. I am glad of that for the old bus (which your mayor called a tub), and she is really like a bus — you ought to hear Br other Wilfred call out "Fares pllease" — has stood up to a wonderful gruelling. But she is wonderful and she is 75 per cent the same as when she first started. "But whilst you laud this fellow Kingsford Smith," said Sir Charles, "I want you to think of the. marvellous attention and help I get from my ground staff. It is not fair that all the praise should come to me." Sir Charles apologised for the lateness of his arrival and said that he would make flights from 9 a.m. to 11.30 to-day so that those who had to leave early last evening would be able t'o get a fly. The toast of "The Rotorua Aero Club' 'was given by Mr. Wilfred Kingsford Smith, who prefaced his speech with the remarlc "Gentlemen and Australians," and which was replied to by the president, Mr. J. D. Davys, who thanked all who had in any way helped to organise the visit. This concluded the dinner, the party afterwards being entertained at a Maori concert.