THE SCENE AT TRENTHAM RACECOURSE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 87, 11 January 1928, Page 9

THE SCENE AT TRENTHAM RACECOURSE

OVER 10,000 PEOPLE ON THE GROUNDS

At 6.30 p.m. there was a perfect setting for the expected landing of the aviators. From about 4 p.m. cars and buses began to stream out from town along the Hutt Road to the landing field at the Wellington Racing Club’s racecourse at Trentham. Everyone was in high humour, as it was freely and generally anticipated that the daring airmen had by that time covered the greater part of their long journey, and that, with the favourable conditions prevailing,' they should have no difficultv in making the land, providing all went well with their machine. What a beautiful evening it was. There was scarcely a cloud in the sky; the sun shone refulgent in the west, and the pleasant heat was tempered by the gentlest of north-westerly breezes, the very wind to give kindly aid to the aviators over the last stage of their journey. In the centre of the course were the official party and privileged ticketholders, about 100 in number. There were the Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Marine, Hon. F. J._ Rolleston, Minister of Defence, Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Public Health, and Hon. R. A. Wright, Minister of Education, along with Mr. A. McNicol, representing the trustees of the flight, Major A. J. Wilkes, Director of Air Services, the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup), Sir John Luke and Messrs. W. H. Field and G. R. Sykes, M.P.’s. The scene at Trentham was a stimulating one. As one approached the racecourse at 6.15 p.m. there were already lines upon lines of motor-cars, flanking both sides of Camp Road, and even down the main Hutt Road, whilst the parking places within the racecourse boundaries were as fully populated as though it were Cup Day in fine weather. There was even then a large crowd in the club’s beautiful grounds, the greater number of whom were accommodated in the latge central grandstand. The whole of the “top shelf” was practically filled, and the greater part of the seating accommodation in the loxver deck was occupied, whilst there were some thousands of people strolling around the lawns, dr chatting in groups, eagerly discussing the chances of the men so eagerly awaited. From a perch near the course fence an official was speaking into a microphone, broadcasting in short, snappy, descriptive sentences the scene that was spread before him. Towards 6.40

Poxver Plant. 220 h.p. at 1800 r.p.m. Propeller 9ft. diameter Weights and Performance. Weight, empty 17501 b. Useful load, including 215 gallons of gasoline, pilot, and ,txvo passengers 18501 b. Total gross weight 36001 b. Wing loading, 3600/290, equals 12.41b./sq. ft. Poxver loading, 3GOO/220, equals 16.41b./h.p. High speed 126 m.p.h. Landing speed 50 m.p.h. Cruising range 2000 miles GETTING NEARER At 1 a.m. the Natela Radio Company, outside whose premises a very large crowd waited all evening, advised that (Tie monoplane had been heard over Masferton and later over Featherston and Kaitoke. •' • At 1 a.m. the Royal Air Force fired rockets from the Trentham. racecourse in order to guide the airmen, who were apparently groping in the thick weather for the landing place.

p.m. the crowd was probably at its thickest, when it was roughly computed that tb.ere was between 10,000 and 12,000 people within the grounds. The keenest interest was being taken by everyone at the slightest word; people snatched at a rumour, and sent it xvliizzing along, though it meant little or nothing. A Note of Anxiety. It appeared that the latest word, or rather “whine,” from the aeroplane had been received at 5.22 p.m. Building on that, most of those present concluded that the ’plane could then have been only some 200 miles off the coast, working that out on the hundred miles per hour theory since they left the Australian littoral. As the hands of the clock moved on towards 7 p.m. a note of anxiety crept furtively round. It was so disappointing. Women thought of the feelings of the two wives out there in mid-field waiting for their gallant husbands. As the sun sank below the xx-estern hills, bits of ragged cloud showed up above the bare hills to the xvestward of the course, and way down south ugly lumps of black clouds appeared to be piling up to spoil . the calm serenity of the outlook. With the departure of the sun, the prevailinganxiety deepened perceptibly, for it was conjectured that even if the speed of the ’plane was not as great as anticipated the gathering gloom ■ would make it exceedingly difficult to pick np the landing ground, which, of course, was not' 1 illuminated like an aerodrome. A Hope for the Best. Half-an-hour later more people began to leave the ground than to arrive. Still there was still a few drifting in, xx’illing to pay their shilling on the off chance of a late arrival ; but as dusk made itself palpable soon after 8 p.m., many of the folk began to move towards their cars and the railway station, .'saddened by the fact that the airmen had failed to make their objective on time, and consoling themselves with the thought that they must have made a landing elsewhere. That was the best they, could hope for; the worst they dare not give expression to. Between 8 and 9 p.m. the Hutt Road became one continuous stream of twinkling lights from the 600 to 700 cars which had made the twenty-mile journev, unfortunately, for nothing.’

“HURRAH! THERE SHE IS!” FALSE ALARM ON MOUNT VICTORIA As the hours crept on last evening the greatest apprehension was felt by the waiting crowds, who occupied almost everv height on the hills surrounding the city, in the hope of obtaining a sight of “Ao-te-Aroa” as she passed over on her way to Trentliam. The hilltops were lined from 5 o’clock onwards, and thousands of watching eyes were focussed on the heavens to westward 'until darkness descended. There was a dramatic incident near the signal station on Mount Victoria about 8.15. A cheer went up from the waiting crowd w’hen what was _ believed to be a flying machine came into view over the hilltops midway between Island Bav and Lyall Bay. v Three Hataitai lads, who had been waiting on the hilltop, positively declared that they saw a monoplane' come full into view, and then disappear aagin below the brow of the hill. So convinced was one lad that lie bad seen the aeroplane that his parents brought him into the central police station, where he described what he had seen. This lad, who was aged 11|, declared positively that at about 8.15 lie and the others watching on Mount Victoria distinctly saw an aeroplane come into again below the brow of the hill. Questioned bv a Dominion reporter later, the lad was definite upon the point, declaring that two other boys who were with him at the time, and whom he named, as well as all the other people watching on the hilltop, saw the ’plane. “It was a monoplane,” he declared. “I know ’planes when I see them. I saw the ’planes which were with the American Fleet, and I used to see the seaplane which was at Lyall Bay some years ago almost every day. “We raised a cheer to-night when she appeared. The aeroplane was travelling very slowly and rocked a good deal. Tt came towards us for a while, and then, to our. surprise, swooped downwards and again disappeared out of sight. From where we were looking, the machine appeared to be midway between Island Bay and Lvall Bay.” , Whether the long vigil 'had conjured up a mirage or not, it is difficult to say, but the little fellow could not be shaken in his story. If he had conjured up an apparition, so apparently bad everyone else on the hilltop,_ because all present set up a cheer simultaneously. . , , ~ “We saw a monoplane all rignt, was his emphatic last word.

The Self-help Grorers intimated per telephone late last night their intention to forward this morning a cheque for £5 ss. as a contribution towards a fund to show appreciation of the great effort of the.aviators.