BIRD-MAN IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 82, 7 April 1913, Page 6

BIRD-MAN IN AUCKLAND.

■AiURIVAL OF 'WIZARD" STONE. Up to 'the present lime, although in some other parts of the world aeriai navigation has become almost a commonplace spectacle in the laflt year or two, New Zealand is practically virgin ground, for nothing in the chape. ot a really successful a'ttKinpt to conquer the air has yet been effected in this country. All that is about to be changed, however, ■and Auckland is shortly to have the honour of being the scene of the first real flight of ah aeroplane in the Dominion. By 'the Maheno yesterday there arrived from Australia a famous birdman — "Wizard" Stone, and with him came his Bleriot monoplane on which he has already fiown over 4,000 miles, his longest single flight having been from Paris to Pa-u—a distance of 50-1 miles. Aβ Mr Stone's certificate issued by the International Aero Club is numbered 15, it will be seen that he was one of the early aviators to secure a pilot's certificate, and his total flights to date exceed 2,000. ■He learnt the' art of aviation at the Bleriot school in Paris, aod in America he has competed with many of the best aviators of 'the day, In the matter of exhibition flights hie chief pride lies in the fact that he has never yet disappointed the public. The Domain, where ho proposes to fly in Auckland, he regards as being better for the purpose than many places from which he has flown in America and Australia, though naturally it does not poeeess the perfect qualifications of an aerodrome. Accidents he hue had in plenty in 'the course of his adventures in the .air. but skill and a cool head, combined, perhape. with a modicum of luck, has left him whole and sound. What he br« likes, he declares, is a speed cotapetitio-. against another aeroplane, and againft a motorcar, ami ISOIDP .such match, he hopes to lit- successful in arranging while in the Dominion. The engine of his present machine is a 50 horse-power Gnome, and the whole plane can be put together in about three-quarters of an hour. It has rio room for a passenger, but Mr Stone talks of bringing bis ritb&i' machine across here, and he will then be able to take up a passenger to share some of his flights.