SMITH WATCHES WEATHER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 449, 3 September 1928, Page 1

SMITH WATCHES WEATHER

Favourable Reports and Forecast Might Induce Start This Evening

FLIGHT ACROSS THE TASMAN

(United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. noon. SYDNEY, To-day. LATEST advices from the Richmond airdrome indicate that Squadron-Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith is watching the meteorological reports very carefully, and while at present he has no intention of hopping off to-day, the arrival of favourable reports and a forecast in the afternoon might induce a last-minute reversal of his intention, and the Southern Cross would be headed for New Zealand.

■yESTERDAY, as on Saturday, the airdrome was visited by many people hoping to see the hop-off on this memorable adventure, only to be doomed to disappointment. ACTIVITY AT ’DROME There were scenes of activity all day on Saturday at the airdrome, in view of the expected start of the flight. The airdrome is situated in the midst of an expanse of undulating farm lands lying between the sleepy villages of Richmond and Windsor. Mechanics were early astir seeing that everything was right about the

rived in the afternoon to speed the Southern Cross on her way. Kingsford Smith and his companions had to make a few remarks for the inevitable broadcast, and to run the gauntlet of autograph hunters. Then they managed to retire on the plea of pressing business, while the spectators went home regretful that the airmen had lost the opportunity of setting out in such excellent conditions as prevailed here. Among those present to bid goodbye to the airmen were Kingsford Smith’s parents, Mrs. Ulm, and a representative of the Government. REPLY UNLIKELY MAYOR’S CABLE TO FLYERS Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. No reply had been received to the cablegram which the Mayor, the Rev. J. K. Archer, dispatched on Saturday morning to Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieutenant C. T. P. Ulm, protesting against the proposal to arrive on Sunday, and asking if the flight could not be postponed. As the flight was postponed for an entirely different reason, it now seems probable that the flyers will not send a reply to the -Mayor. MELBOURNE REPORT According to a short-wav© message from station 3LO, Melbourne, the Southern Cross will leave Sydney at 6 o’clock this evening, or 7.30 New Zealand time. A Devonport wireless enthusiast tuned into the short-wave news session of 3LO early this morning and heard this news. Australian weather, according to the report, was good, and the flyers were only waiting for a favourable report from this side of the Tasman to take off for Christchurch. NEWS OF FLIGHT RADIO REBROADCAST FROM THE SUN OFFICE

I ~ VI7HEN the Southern Cross’s flight commences, progress results from the flyers will be rebroadcast from the Sun Office*. Two loudspeakers will broadcast into Wyndham Street and two into Albert Street. By this means a large crowd may be supplied with news of the flight without inconvenience. The description of the take-off in Sydney will b© received from 2BL, Sydney, and then progress news of the flight will be picked up from N§w Zealand stations. *which will be decoding the morse messages from the plane. If at night? the rebroadcast will continue until a late hour, and will be resumed at nine o'clock the next morning, continuing until the Southern Cross has landed at Christchurch. An Australian Red Ensign willbe run up on the flagpole of The Sun watch-tower as soon as tbe airfnen reach New Zealand. The Press Association has arranged with the Telegraph Department to distribute the news of the arrival of the flyers in the same way as football results.