In Auckland on Tuesday

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 458, 13 September 1928, Page 1

In Auckland on Tuesday

SOUTHERN CROSS FLYERS Return Flight Fixed for September 30 (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, to-day. On Tuesday afternoon next, Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith, Flight-Lieutenant Ulm, Mr. H. A. Litchfield, and Mr. T. H. McWilliam will land in Auckland in the three machines which the Government has placed at their disposal. » Sunday, September 30, has been fixed tentatively as the date the Southern Cross will “hop-off” from Sockburn on its return flight to Australia.

FE flyers propose to leave Christchurch on Friday next about 3 p.m., and to travel to Blenheim, where they will spend the night. The following morning they will take-off, and, after a 40 minutes’ run, will arrive at Trentham at approximately 10.30 o’clock. The airmen will spend Sunday and Monday in Wellington, and on Tuesday, September 18, they will l t eave for Auckland, arriving in the afternoon. Wednesday will be spent in Auckland, and on Thursday they will leave for Rotorua. The airmen will return to Auckland on Saturday, September 22, leaving on .Sunday for Sockburn. It is anticipated that the party on its return from the northern tour will fly to Dunedin and, if possible, to Invercargill.

They are particularly desirous of being in Christchurch for the few days preceding the proposed departure for Sydney on Sunday, September 30, which day the navigator, Mr. H. A. Litchfield, indicates is the best, as the moon will then be at the full.

“While the flyers feel desirous of taking the Southern Cross round New Zealand so that.the people may view the airplane,” Mr. D. Ardell, of the Internal Affairs Department, explained yesterday, “they feel that the risk entailed is not warranted.” Major T. M. Wilkes, Director of Air Services, showed the plans of the landing grounds at Auckland and Wellington to-the airmen, but after due consideration of the general landing places, together with the factor of the prevailing- winds, the airmen adhered to their decision. The Horn F. J. Rolleston, Minister of Defence, with the consent of the Prime Minister, has agreed that three Bristol fighters be placed at their disposal. ■ Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith was particularly appreciative of the Government’s offer, which he accepted. Captains Findlay and Buckley will act as escorts. It will probably be arranged that Squadron-Leader Kingsford' Smith and Flight-Lieutenant TJlm will occupy one plane, Captain Findlay and Mr. Litchfield the second, and Captain Buckley and Mr. McWiiliam the third. TO RETURN BY DAYLIGHT With reference to the return flight across the Tasman, Mr. Ardell stated that after deliberation by the whole at the party it was decided tha-f the Southern Cross should make the trip by daylight. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith stated that even if they did not land in daylight at the Richmond airdrome, he had every confidence that the facilities there would enable him to make a night landing. As with the flight to New Zealand, the airmen proposed to be guided by the weather conditions. Both commanders of the Southern Cross expressed their high appreciation of the services rendered to them by Dr. B. Kidson, .Government meteorologist, and his assistant, Mr. Pemberton. 25,000 AUTOGRAPHS FLYERS’ TOTAL INC? BASING (Special to THE SUE.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. That they have so far placed their signatures in 25,000 autograph books, is the estimate of Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieuten-ant Ulm, who this morning added several more to that total. One of the

lucky people was Allan Robertson, a schoolboy, of Olaudelands, Hamilton. A long time ago this boy wrote to the Mayor Of Christchurch, the Rev. J. K. Archer, and sent his autograph book fqr the. flyers to sign. “I have heard . that .the . airmen who flew from America are to land in your city,” he wrote, “and'l am a little disappointed they were hot landing nearer here, as I am an enthusiastic autograph collector, As lam not wealthy enough to go to your city, I was wondering whether you would get these four famous men's autographs for me.” “A remarkably good letter for a youngster,” commented SquadronLeader Smith as he signed the book, his companions following suit. WITH FLYING BOATS POSSIBILITIES OF TASMAN SERVICE LUNCHEON TO AIRMEN . (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, to-day. That a Tasman Air Service could be contemplated only with flying-boats having a cruising radius of 2,000 miles, was the opinion expressed by the Southern Cross airmen at the citizen’s luncheon in their honour yesterday. (JIR R. HEATON RHODES proposed the toast of “the visitors.” “You New Zealanders have got to get air-minded and used to the air,” was Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith’s adviee. “Look on it, not a.s a stunt or a marvel, but as a commercial possibility and—with no offence to the, Navy—as the first line of defence. You have great possibilities for aviation here in Ne*.v Zealand.

“We deprecate the use of the word ‘hero.’ We are only pioneers. We have preached the gospel of aviation for a long time, and it is a poor man that will not practice what he preaches. We will go on preaching, and we hope practising. ''l would like to say that if it had not been for our wonderful pal. Captain AL::i Hancock, of America, who started the who'e thing, ther would not have been a flight,” said Flight-Lieutenant Ulm. He paid tributes to each of his companions and to the help given by the New Zealand Meteorological Department. He concluded with a brief and graphic description of the flight itself. Mr. Litchfield commented on the fact that the Southern Cross itself had been of great use in setting the course—in fact it had practically brought them here. The Mayor’s call for a “real New Zealand welcome” for Mr. McWilliam was earnestly responded to. Mr. McWilliam added his thanks to that of his companions for the enthusiastic reception they had been given. TRIBUTE TO SIR H. WIGRAM “But for the efforts and foresight of Sir Henry Wigram I do not* think we would have seen the Southern Cross land so close to Christchurch,” said Sir Heaton Rhodes. “Years and years ago. before we in Parliament had discussed aviation, Sir Henry Wigram was bringing forward the question o£ aviation year after

year in the Legislative Council, but when the war came Sir Henry did more than talk about flying. He formed a company and secured what is now the Wigram airdrome. During the war many pilots were trained there. “Then—lt was in 1923, I think—Sir Henry Wigram gave £IO,OOO to advance aviation in New Zealand.” In his reply Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith said people like Sir Henry Wigram are doing more to make your country air-minded than can be expressed in words.”

WORE SON’S DECORATIONS DEAD AIRMAN’S MOTHER AT WELCOME (Special to THE SU2\) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. At the civic reception accorded the flyers by the Mayor this morning the interest of the airmen was aroused by the sight of a woman who wore the Military Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Force Cross. They sought an early opportunity of speaking to her. She was Mrs. Nut tall, mother of Captain F. Nuttall, a famous New Zealand airman who served with distinction through the war and later met his death in Mesopotamia. “FELLOW DIGGERS” ENTERTAINED BY SOLDIERS Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. All the members of the crew of the Southern Cross are ex-servicemen, the Navy, Army and Air Force being represented. Their intense popularity with New Zealand returned soldiers was demonstrated by the enthusiasm that prevailed at the smoke concert given in their honour by the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association last evening. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith,

replying to the welcome, addressed his audience as “fellow diggers.” “It is a very proud moment in our lives to-night.” he said. “This is the first occasion that we have talked to our own kith and kin, and we are proud of being Diggers.” He added that they were proud of the welcome Christchurch had given them. They deprecated being regarded as heroes. “We’re not heroes,” he remarked. ‘We are not of the hero type. The night before last, when we had a bit of trouble crossing the Tasman, I can assure you I had the wind up worse than I ever had when in France, and I had the wind up there a few times.” Flight-Lieutenant Ulm said that they had had two good men with them on the trip to Australia, but they now had two equally good men, and without them could not have got over the Tasman. TALK TO CHILDREN SYDENHAM SCHOOL VISITED -Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. Eight hundred ■ children cheered Squadron-Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith frantically this morning when ho visited Sydenham School and garv a brief address beginning: “I’m a bit of a boy myself,” and invited the pupils to make an inspection of the Southern Cross. The children presented Kingsford Smith with a bouquet of flowers and a tiki.

**************** £25 FOR 10 MINUTES

MARTON’S OFFER TO AIRMEN (Special to THE SUN) MARTON, To-diiy A largely-attended meeting of ton business men last evening resolved to offer £25 to Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith if he will circle over Marton for ten minutes with the Southern Cross during his Dominion tour, and £IOO if he would land. It was further decided to urge that no other airplane but the Southern Cross be used for the tour in view of the public interest, but if any other plane is used, a cordial invitation will be extended to visit Marton as the centre of the province of Rangitikei. FELIX COMES BACK AIRMAN’S LOST MASCOT GIRL REFUSES REWARD (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. Felix, Kingsford Smith’s black and silver mascot, which was lost when the airman's helmet disappeared In the jostling crowd at Sockburn on Tuesday, has been restored to his owner. Kingsford Smith had offered a reward of £lO for his black cat, but the young woman who returned the helmet and the mascot refused the reward, saying that she had found the cat and kept it as a souvenir, but when she realised that he valued it, she was anxious to return it. The airman promised to autograph the helmet in Sydney and post it back. “I would not lose Felix for worlds,” he said, ‘‘as he has been my mascot for seven years. It is the first time I have had anything taken as a souvenir and returned to me. It is a wonderful proof of the honesty of New Zealand people.” N.S.W. GRANT WITHHELD PAPER RAISES COMPLAINT (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. 10.25 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Bruce, the State Premier, Mr. T. R. Bavin, and the Aero Club have dispatched cablegrams of the heartiest congratulations to the Southern Cro»« aviators, whose Tasman achievement has thrilled Australians as much as it did New Zealanders. One newspaper’s bill-board reads, ‘‘Smithy Triumphs; Anderson Crashes.” The “Sun” newspaper publishes an article praising the flyers, and then asks why the State Government has not yet handed over its promised cheque for £2,500 to the Pacific conquerors. Mr. Bavin disclaims any intention to repudiate the Government’s promise of a reward. The fact was that another aviator had claimed to be a partner in the Smith-Ulm Pacific venture, and am soon as the legal difficult}' with regard to his claim was settled the Governj ment would honour its obligation.