A FINE PERFORMANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 82, 6 April 1914, Page 6

A FINE PERFORMANCE.

PARACHUTIST IN AUCKLAND. A TRIPLE DESCENT. The crack of a pistol . and a huge 85 foot ballocn shot up from the Domain Cricket Ground on Saturday afternoon, with a traily garbed parachutist dangling at its base. The great black ball hurried skywards, followed by a curling trail of smoke, and -jetting into the strong air currents above, was parried rapidly in the direction of Parnell. A few minutes later the aeronaut left the balloon, and there were three bipr thrills as one after the other he cut the strings of the parachutes which temporarily checked his fall, and dropped with lightning velocity through the air. A moment later the occupier of a house in Manuk.au Road, Parnell, was somewhat startled to see the intrepid airman float gracefully down into the back yard, and, after breaking a clothes line in the course of Jus fall, safely reach terra fir ma again. The flight had been well-judged, and before the admiring crowd had left the Domain the parachutist came hurrying on to the ground in a motor car. The whole incident only occupied less than half an hour, but, in view of the gusty winds which prevailed this afternoon, Mr. Albert Eastwood, the young Australian balloonist, the Beebe Balloon Company, and tho Exhibition authorities*, under whose auspices tire exhibition was given, may congratulate themselves upon having provided probably the most successful balloon ascent ever given in Auckland. The attendance of a crowd numbering over two thousand augured the success of the further displays which are to be given next Saturday and on the following Monday, under the auspices of the Exhibition.

The crowd watched with interest the incidents attending the inflation of the balloon with hot air, and the blackening of the faces of numerous small boys anxious to help in the holding in captivity of the somewhat grimy bag, measuring 85 feet in length, and 150 feet in circumference. It was shortly after four o'clock, when tliere was a slight lull in the gusty wind which was blowing over the Domain in the direction of the harbour, that the director of the Beebe Company pave the signal to let go. The balloon rose to a height of 4,750 feet, and travelled an estimated distance of a mile and a half, petting perilously near the sea before Mr. Eastwood, after taking photographs, made his descent. On the red parachute he dropped about a thousand feet, and after graefnlly floating for a few moments, cut away this one and made s. descent of a similar distance on a white one. There was great excitement among the crowd, when after cutting the third lot of strings, the blue parachute seemed to be reluctant in opening, but eventually its bright folds became spread out and the balloonist safely came to earth. Meanwhile the balloon, relieved of the weight at its base, turned turtle, slowly collapsed, and came to earth. The hearty cheers which followed the release of the balloon wore renewed when Mr. Eastwood made his appearance on the ground in a motor car. He informed a ."Star" representative that before 'the last parachute opened he dropped a distance of about 1200 feet. While in toe air he took three photographs, one of the Exhibition, another of the Domain, and v. third looking townwards.