CHICHESTER ARRIVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 894, 11 February 1930, Page 1

CHICHESTER ARRIVES

Th* Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, the W. B. Taverner, and Mr. T. C. j.figlop, president of the Wellington Aero Club. were prominent among the large band of leading citizens which assembled to welcome Mr. Chichester |lo bis home town. Featured in the procession was Mr. rhlcheoter’s plane, *'Te Ika a Maul” '(‘■The Fish of Maui,” or New ZeaTPrafflc was blocked about the Town flail after the procession, owing to fbe thousands of pedeatrians who streamed through the streets between the beflagged buildings In a hopeless ieffort to reach the civic reception. So large was the throng that ten minutes after Mr. Chichester's arrival the floors of the main hell had to be shut bnd locked. Wellington forgot its traditional bloofness to cheer and cheer Mr. Chichester as he moved up the aisle beside the Mayor, and the din for some jninuteß was deafening. "We are proud of our boy,” said Jdr. Troup, amid “Hurrahs!” “He is the first New Zealander who in his f>irn plane has made a flight which the world has noticed, and has put us on the aviation map. Only on one occasion has a similar feat been performed In a Moth, and that was by an experienced aviator. Mr. Chichester flew round Europe after only about 35 hours’ tuition, and then quietly left the airdrome one morning •with no other word than ‘Good-bye, boys; I’m off to Australia.’ That is ihe kind of stuff that made our Empire, and was in such men as Drake, .Raleigh and Cook.”

The Hen. Mr. Taverner told Mr. Chichester that he hoped the Royal Aero Cluh would ask him to its next annual Loudon function, aid that he would be honoured there. He welcomed the flyer on behalf of the Government.

“We are proud that he has joined the bravo and gallant company of

Wellington’s Wild Welcome NEW ZEALAND AIR HERO V ast Crowds Acclaim Him Special to TUB SUN WELLINGTON, Today. CHEEKING crowds and the blare of bands greeted Francis 0. Chichester as he stood on the Maunganni’s deck when she moved into the Wellington wharf today. Thousands packed the waterfront to catch a glimpse of the first New Zealander to make a long-distance flight in his own plane, and the throngs in the street as Mr. Chichester moved to the Town Hall in a beflagged car, were reminiscent of the wartime march of reinforcement drafts.

British adventurers,” said Mr. Hisiop, and the applause was deafening. Telegrams showered on Mr. Chichester all the time he was on the platform. “Attaboy” and “Good Old Chieh,” yelled the crowd as he rose to speak, and he was modest to the last. The welcome here and In Australia came to him as a big surprise, he said, but when he found what the

Australians were doing about it ha was glad to be a. New Zealander. He said he had left England with the intention of getting home again (laughter), and lie was only sorry that he had not done better. Perhaps later he would have Another shot aud improve on what he had done. The Mayor read apologies from bothSir Joseph Ward and the Right Hon. J. G. Coates. Sir Joseph congratulated Mr. Chichester on the wonderful performance achieved by him, and extended a hea.rty welcome back. He hoped to have the pleasure of meeting him personally.