Quiet Departure At Harewood

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31277, 25 January 1967, Page 1

Quiet Departure At Harewood

A crowd of about 200 waved goodbye to Air Vice-Marshal Ky and Mrs Ky when the official Republic of Vietnam party left Christchurch Airport yesterday morning for Welington. There were no unfriendly demonstrators or placards in evidence.

When Air Vice-Marshal Ky and Mrs Ky left their hotel soon after 9 a.m. about 300 persons clapped and waved. The Kys went straight to their cars. When they arrived at the airport, they moved along the crowd for a minute or two, and exchanged greetings. Air Vice-Marshal Ky was accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall), and Mrs Ky was with Mrs Marshall.

Just before the Kys walked hand in hand up the stage to the aircraft, Air Vice-Marshall Ky told a reporter: "We had a lovely day, very good, particularly the people, very friendly.” The official party was bidden farewell by the airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson) in the absence of the chairman of the City Council's airport committee (Cr. A. R. Guthrey), who could not be present A

The last view the crowd had was of Mrs Ky, waving through a window as the aircraft taxied away.

Mr Marshall told Mr Jamieson that he was delighted with the arrangements for the arrival and departure. The R.N.Z.A.F. DC6 City of Auckland, of No. 40 Squadron, which will fly the official party while in New Zealand, left at 9.20 a.m. The aircraft was piloted by Flight Lieutenant R. T. R. Gilbert, and the loading master was Flight Sergeant E. B. Wood, who acted in that capacity during the tour last year by the Queen Mother. Corporal E. S. Webber was flight stewardess. The DC6 was followed by a large proportion of the R.N.ZA.F. transport fleet—three Dakotas of No. 42 Squadron, a Bristol Freighter of No. 3 Squadron, and one of the new Hercules troopcarriers. They took officials, journalists, and baggage.