TO FLY ROUND NEW ZEALAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 457, 12 September 1928, Page 1

TO FLY ROUND NEW ZEALAND

Kings ford Smith and Ulm to Make Tour in- Air Force Machine

MERRY SPEECHES AT CIVIC WELCOME

Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, to-day. t M SqU 7 dr< i n 'j e t d r C ‘ V' Kin « sford Smith and Flight Lieut. C. T. P. Ulm will make a tour ° *1 l bef ° re they hop off a S ai " Australia. ■ • " ( C,r ,, 0n ?i l ?. ,0n they will not use the Southern Cross, but one of the air force mac ines rom e lgram Airdrome. The d ate on which the flight round the Dominion will take place has not yet been decided.

Squadron-Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith and the other members of the crew of the Southern Cross were officially welcomed to Christchurch by a huge crowd in Cranmer Square at noon today. The Mayor, the Rev. J. K. Archer, spoke on behalf of the City Council, and Sir R. Heaton Rhodes on behalf of the Government. Later the flyers were entertained at a civic luncheon. “We are exceedingly proud that four young British men have been the first human beings to cross from Australia to the Dominion by air, and that one is a New Zealander, and we are equally proud that our own city and province have the honour of receiving them,” said the Mayor, the Rev. -J. K. Archer, in his opening remarks of welcome to the distinguished flyers. The Mayor spoke of the thrilling rtory o fthe flight against unfriendly

across here for the sake of twelve thousand ‘quid.’ We did it to try and link up the outlying parts of the Empire. Our flight was not due to any individual effort. It was the united effort of four men, each indispensable to the rest. It proves that co-opera-tion of the crew on the flight across the ocean is as essential as having a plane to fly in. My partner, Ulm, is all that I have ever said of him. His organisation is all that pulled us through when we were in America. “Old ‘Litch’ here gave us some les-

sons on navigation going across on the Tahiti, but I would have liked to depend on what he taught us coming across. He hit the coast within a mile of where he intended to. “Old ‘Mac’ is a New Zealander, and it is unfortunate for him that, he struck the wrost trip we have had.” “‘SMITH’ WENT MAD” “ ‘Smithy’ went mad this morning and said everything there was to say,” said Flight-Lieutenant C. T. B. Ulm, who was in a merry mood. As ‘Smithy’ said, old ‘Mac’ told us when we reached Christchurch we would he given a wonderful reception. We certainly have been royally greeted, and It has been the most spontaneous and cordial welcome we have yet experienced. I really thought yesterday that we would never get away from the drome. We do hope that our

natural resources. “The story is full of heroism,” he said, “but it is also tinged with pathos in the placing of memorial wreaths on the bosom of the ocean as a tribute to those other brave young Britishers, Moncrief and Hood, vho lost their lives in the first attempt to fly the Tasman. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, representing the Prime Minister and Government, congratulated the flyers on their prodigious feat. He was glad that the Government had decided to provide to: the widows of Hood and Moncrieff, and to grant £2,000 to Kingsford Smith. Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., welcomed the flyers on behalf of Mr. Holland Mid the Opposition. E. Coleridge Parr, of Canterhury College, spoke of the important scientific aspects of the flight. Captain Findlay, officer-in-charge at the Wigram airdrome, emphasised the benefits that New Zealand aviation »ould derive from the flight. "This reminds me of the difference between an aviator and a parrot,” Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith. “The pgrort can talk, but can’t fly. The aviator is supposed to be able to fly, but usually can’t talk. 1 belong to the aviator class, I hope. ' v ’e were warned by ‘Mac’ that we w °uld get a tumultuous welcome. We certainly did. I thank the Government for the ’ he added, “but we did not fly

flights are doing what we want them to do, that is to give people more confidence in airplanes. Ido not say you could turn round with the ‘Southern Cross’ and run a Tasman mail service. It needs special equipment, but if we have led the way, then we have done our job. LEFT IN THE AIR A woudeful reception was accorded Mr McWilliam, the only New Zealander of the party. “Your enthusiasm in this reception leaves me more in the air than I was when I set out from Svdney in the ‘Southern Cross,’ ” he said “As the radio-operator of the Southern Cross I had hoped to carry out my duties in a manner that vfould have reflected credit on the Dominion, but the elements were against me. Claiming that he was the world’s worst speaker, Mr. Lichfield said little but thanked the people most heartily for such a warm welcome. Mr Litchfield added that some thanks were due to the staff of the Richmond airdrome (New South Wales), and to the Lands and Survey Department, who had sent some very valuable maps of New Zealand. .. It is unlikely that the Southern Cross will be flown to Auckland,” said c eader C. E. Kingsford “There are no suitSe landing-grounds in the North IS The ” four airmen intend to visit both Wellington and Auckland, where they will inspect possible land-

ing places, also Hobsonville. The date of their northern tour has not been fixed definitely, but will be within a week. BATTLE SCARRED PLANE WEAR ON PROPELLERS Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. An ever-changing crowd stood outside the big No. 6 hangar at Wigram airdrome this morning gazing at the Southern Cross. Some idea of the stress and strain of revolving at a high rate for over 14 hours could be gained from a look at the propellers. The leading edges were worn off completely, being rough and ragged, instead of smooth and sharp.' Each edge showed white against the oak colour of the remainder of the propellers, showing the cotton material which is the basis of the micarta of which the “props” are made. The wing also showed the effects of the storm. All the paint had disappeared from the centre of its leading edge, having been scraped off by the ice and sleet, with which the machine came into contact. It is estimated that at one stage there was one ton of sleet and ice on top of the wing. The container holding the souvenir flags brought from Sydney to New Zealand by the Southern Cross has been handed to the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The flags for the other three centres will be forwarded to Wellington for distribution by the Prime Minister. One suggestion is that the flags should be raffled instead of being sold by public auction. MAY VISIT BLENHEIM LANDING GROUND SECURED Press Association BLENHEIM, To-day. Squadron Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith and his party have been invited to fly the Southern Cross to Blenheim by the Marlborough Aero Club and the Blenheim Corperation. There is a safe landing-ground at Marshlands, believed to be the only one, apart from Sockburn, in the Dominion suitable for use by a big airplane like the Southern Cross. Negotiations for the visit have been begun by the club, and there is reason to hope it will eventuate. AUCKLAND KEEN TO SEE SOUTHERN CROSS BIG AREA AVAILABLE' A further invitation to visit Auckland has been telegraphed to Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith by the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon. After congratulating the flyers, and assuring them of a hearty welcome, | Mr. Baildon said: “The Auckland Aero j Club has submitted to me an area, 700 yards square, with an excellent ap- ■ proach, within 10 miles of the city, j The locality was used by Captain Findlay, and fs free of all obstruction. The club considers the area would be suitable to your machine, both for landing .and for taking off for Australia. If your arrangements permit of the visit, will you authorise an investigation of the site? I desire all possible facilities should be given should you be able to favour us with a visit.” “The request for authorisation means ‘ls it any use our inspecting the site?’” said Mr. Baildon to-day. “We will do anything in our power to ensure a visit from the Southern Cross.”