Smiling Conqueror Greets Big Crowd

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 6

Smiling Conqueror Greets Big Crowd

“HAD A BAD NIGHT" THAT SUNDAY INCIDENT Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. It was a smiling Kingsford Smith who appeared at the window of the United Service Hotel at 10.10 a.m. A crowd had been waiting for some time and it became tense at the sight of the uniform with its long row of medal ribbons. The airman looked a little fairer and slighter than his pictures had suggested and he waved his hand when the cheering crowd had subsided. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith put his hands to his mouth and shouted, “I didn’t know there were so many people in Christchurch. You ought to have seen them at the airdrome. Thank you very much for your welcome. We are glad to be here but, by jove, we had a bad time during the night and coming through this morning. However, we have got here now. “Charlie and I like the look of your city and we are going to stay here for a while, I think. * “My hostess is sorry,” said Squad-ron-Leader Kingsford Smith, "that she can’t ask you all in for a drink. “We tried to land here on a Sunday, I but couldn’t make it,” said the airman, in reply to some interjection. There was a roar at the remark and at the humorous look on the aviator’s face as he made it. HERE FOR FORTNIGHT AUSSIES AT HOME '.N N.Z. Speaking from the studio of 3YA, Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith thanked the people for their wonderful welcome. “Of course, we Aus.sies,” he said, “are always at home in New Zealand.” “I can add very little to what my partner ho.s said,” Lieutenant Ulm began. “I am sory that the radio did not work so that you could have heard something of our movements, but the lightning storms we went through put our equipment out of action. It was not any fault of the operator. I want to make that quite -clear. Our radio operator, as you know, is Mr. J. H. McWilliams, a New Zealander, end on other and longer flights he has proved himself a 100 per cent, operator, and as good as our old friend Jim Warner. “We will be in Christchurch or New ■ Zealand somewhere for the next 1 couple of weeks, and hope to have the opportunity of talking to y° u ■ again.” VERY DEAF “TASMAN IS TASMAN” CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. Later, the radio operator of the Southern Crosß, Mr. T. H. McWUliaO. of Wellington, was persuaded to speaa over the radio. “I don’t know quite what they are asking me to say to you,” he said, as lam very, very deaf. We are er J’ pleased to have landed and had a very decent trip, except that the Tasman is the Tasman, and if any of you ha been across it you know it is roug • On this particular occasion it wasvery rough. lam very pleased indeed have been associated with Australia* roost eminent aviators in this across the Tasman. I *han* V*"