Allocation Of Plane Seats Explained

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30107, 16 April 1963, Page 13

Allocation Of Plane Seats Explained

(New Zealand Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, April 15. The commanding officer of the Wellington-West CoastTaranaki Regiment, Major J. M. Morris, of Waiouru, explained today why two lowrate seats in an R.N.Z.A.F. aircraft were given to the colonel of the regiment and his wife to attend Princess Alexandra's wedding in London.

Colonel C. N. Armstrong and Mrs Armstrong, of Wanganui, left last Friday on an R.N.Z.A.F. aircraft for the wedding. The other representative of the regiment, of which the Princess is Colonel-in-Chief, Sergeant L. Gudgeon, of New Plymouth, will leave tomorrow by private airline.

Major Morris said today: ‘‘There was nothing special about Sergeant Gudgeon but there was something special about Colonel Armstrong. He has contact with the Princess in the normal course of ijis duties. He was undecided about going until he knew

about the two seats and he was unlikely to have gone without his wife. “I felt it was most important for Colonel Armstrong to go.” Major Morris said he was not aware that Sergeant Gudgeon had cancelled a sea passage and transferred to an airliner at an extra cost of about £7O so that he could attend the wedding. Asked if he made any effort to tell Sergeant Gudgeon about the seats, he replied: “There was never any question of a seat being allocated to Sergeant Gudgeon. I was told he would be in London for the wedding and I was under the impression that he was already on his way by sea or some other way.” A submission had been made by the regiment to the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) for seats on an Air Force plane. Two seats had been made available and it was suggested that he should accompany Colonel Armstrong, Major Morris said.

He was unable to get away and he discussed the position with Colonel Armstrong who had then not decided whether to go. Colonel Armstrong decided he would go and a decision was made to give the other seat to Mrs Armstrong in place of himself, Major Morris said.

There had been no other applications to attend the wedding and they had worked on the assumption that Sergeant Gudgeon would already be there.