Moth Flyers Feted By Kawhia People

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 330, 16 April 1928, Page 11

Moth Flyers Feted By Kawhia People

fourth edition

rough trip north FLYERS REACH AUCKLAND When the “Moth” flyers made their forced landing on the beach at Kawhia, the town made a great celebration; they could not have done more for Lindbergh or Cobham. The residents flocked around the machine, insisting on souvenirs and autographs. The Maoris -were opeumouthed. Messrs. Douglas Mill, the pilot, and his passenger, Mr. F. C. Hay, were given a royal time, tatted chickens being killed for the occasion. The flyers decided that this was one of the most pleasant inc idents of their trip to Auckland. The Moth airplane, which left on a trip to the Sou til island on March il, ianueu back at Tamaki just before 12 noon yesterday.

The trip North j a rough, one, due to strong northerly winds and air pockets. Heavy clouds and the smoke from bush fires made visibility poor and the machine had to keep below [he 4,000 ft. level. Mr. Mill left Trentham Racecourse at 10.25 a.m. on Saturday and landed first at Foxton, where he picked up Mr. Hay. The Moth left at noon and after battling with a head wind landed at Hawera at I.IS p.m. After a delay of an hour and a-half there Mr. Mill found that he could not reach Auckland in one jump.

Light was beginning to fade when the airplane was over Kawhia Harbour, and Mr. Mill made a good landing on the hard sand of the beach and stayed there for the night. The last lap was begun at 10 a.m. yesterday. Absence of reliable weather reports «4ded to the difficulties of the journey, for he was obliged to fly low in order to look out for landing places, in case of dirty weather coming up. The plane followed the coast line most of the way. From Taranaki to the Waikato the country was very rough and unsettled, and the flyers were glad to get over it. Mrs. Mill, who went South in the Moth, has not returned yet.