SURPRISE VISIT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21939, 13 November 1936, Page 3

SURPRISE VISIT

MISS JEAN BATTEN AT GREYMOUTH

WELCOME BY MAYOR AND CITIZENS

Paying a surprise visit to Greymouth, Miss Jean Batten arrived in the town at 4.10 p.m. yesterday. Miss Batten left Waiho in the morning by motor-car, and after having afternoon tea in Greymouth, she left later by the rail-car for Christchurch.

On arrival at Revington’s Hotel, Miss Batten was welcomed bv the Mayor. Mr W. Meldrum. She then went on to the balcony, where she was presented with a bouquet by Miss Pattie Meldrum.

It was a unique occasion in the history of Greymouth, said Mr Meldrum, in introducing Miss Batten, for they had in their midst one of the most famous flyers in the world. She had performed feats that even the great "Smithy” would have found it hard to equal. They were all very proud when she first flew from England to Australia, and they were all proud to see the reception which she received in Australia. They were still prouder and more astonished at the flight across the South Atlantic, and now to cap it all she had made a record trip from England to Australia and from England to New Zealand. They were exceedingly proud of her and what she had done. Miss Batten, in reply, said she wished to thank them for the wondrful welcome thtey had accorded her. Actually when she left Waiho that morning she had no idea of visiting Greymouth, but as she drove towards Hokitika she tried to think of some way she could visit Greymouth and still catch the rail-car.

She thought that it was wonderful that the Mayor should have organised the reeption so quickly, because he did not know that she would visit Greymouth until about two hours before she arrived.

She expressed pleasure at being on the West Coast. Actual!”- it was her first visit to the West Coast. When she had been ordered a holiday she thought that there was one place that she would like to go to, and that was the West Coast. She had heard of the welcome the people accorded to aviators, and of their warmheartedness. She thought that her visit to the Coast had been fullv justified. There was a large crowd at the railway station to see Miss Batten leave by the rail-car.