M. C. MCGREGORPRAISED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21323, 16 November 1934, Page 12

M. C. MCGREGORPRAISED

♦ — "One of World's Finest Pilots" AIRMEN WELCOMED AT HASTINGS (mess AssouiiTioH i.*.legsa.\t.) HASTINGS, November 15. "You are all, in my opinion, years too late. I knew McGregor was one of the finest pilots in the world years ago," said Wing Commander S. Grant-Dalton, a former Director of Air Services in New Zealand, in a speech of welcome at the Hastings aerodrome to-day to Mr M. C. McGregor, Mr H. C. Walker, Mr J. D. Hewett, Mr C. E. Kay, and Mr S. White, the Havelock North airman who landed here on Tuesday after p. leisurely flight from England to Sydney.

"What McGregor did was very fine; but it was no finer than what he did in the war, nor than he can do at any time," said Wing Commander Grant-Dalton. "As he is a New Zealander, you don't realise it. If he had belonged to some other country you would realise it; but now you think he is just an ordinary person." Praise for Messrs White, Hewett, and Kay was also expressed by Wing Commander Grant-Dalton, who said Hewett and Kay's feat was only the beginning of a regular air service, linking up this country with the rest of the world.

Other speakers who welcomed the flyers were Mr G. A. Maddison (Mayor of Hastings) and Mr A. E. Jull, M.P. Mr Jull said: "Eventually this country will have to take to the air, whether it likes it or not." As to Government assistance, it was very desirable that there should be co-operation between the Government and local authorities to ensure the laying out and maintenance of the best available aerodromes. All possible help should be given to the infant industry of air transport. After advising Hawke's Bay to try to obtain proper recognition, Mr Jull said, in reference to the performances of the visiting pilots: "It seems as though this is only the beginning of a series of similar enterprises by which the Antipodes will be linked up with the rest of the world, and in which journeys which once took months will be performed in as many days."