REASONS FOR DELAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9633, 13 June 1919, Page 5

REASONS FOR DELAY.

LACK OF FACILITIES

LONDON,. June 12

Anxiety among the crew of the Kangaroo to startfor Australia immediately revealed an utter lack of proper arrangements for attempting to win the £10,000 prize, when Rendoll, Smith and Maddocks entered.

The authorities of the xiero Club and the Air Ministry pointed out that the route was not surveyed, there were-no supplies ,of-petrol, which would be difficult to get, and owing to the m'onkooiis it would be- impossible to get any help east of Delhi. Also, with the war still on, France and Italy did not welcome promiscuous flying, and there was even a chance of Having to face anti-aircraft guns on the Continent.

The Kangaroo's crew replied that they were willing to chance it. The matter was then referred to Mr Hughes, who held a conference to-day, at which Senator Pearce, Colonel Williams, Commander Perrin, of the Aero Club, and Colonel Buckley, were present. The conference fully discussed the organisation for the flight, and decided that the present arrangements rrero such as not to afford a reasonable hope of success. The flight nust be postponed until September t? Mr Hughes, interviewed later, summed up the decisions of tho conference thus: Firstly, the Aero Club must be judges whether the Conditions were complied with ;' secondly, all machines entering must have a flying radius of five hundred miles; thirdly, the machines must carry a competent navigator: fourthly, the machines must carry the spare parts necessary; fifthly, prior to the flight the Aero Club should be satisfied that there are properly marked landing places, with petrol available throughout the route; sixthly, in order the competitors should not be financially prejudiced by the delay, tho Government would enrol them in* the Australian Flying Corps. The Australian Government' will also afford competitors facilities for attending _ a navigation course, which the Air Ministry is arrangng. Any other competitors whose machines the Aero Club consider are air worthy, will be entitled to similar privileges.