TASMAN FLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 289, 6 September 1928, Page 11

TASMAN FLIGHT

OUT OF QUESTION YESTERDAY GALE IN SYDNEY ADVERSE REPORTS FROM NEW ZEALAND Press Association.— By Electric , Telegraph.—Copyright.) Sydney, September 5. A gale locally and adverse meteorological reports from New Zealand render the flight out of the question to-day. WEATHER BAD STORM IN TASMAN SEA PROSPECT UNFAVOURABLE At 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon the following radio message from Richmond Aerodrome was received by Captain W. G. C. Ashbridge, in charge of the Defence Department’s wireless station at Mount Cook, Wellington: Flight postponed indefinitely until weather abates. A strong gale was blowing at Sydney yesterday and the- weather conditions in the western part of the Tasman Sea were bad. At noon yesterday Dr. E. Kidson, Dominion Meteorologist, sent the following message to the Government Meteorologist at Sydney:— The cyclone has moved away to the eastward. Expect winds to back to northerly everywhere, and increase again to gale force, and weather to become very unsettled. In view of conditions in West Tasman Sea, regard situation as very unfavourable. THE SUNDAY LANDING MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH CRITICISED The Mayor of Christchurch (the Rev. J. K. Archer) was strongly criticised by Mr. R. A. Armstrong at the annual meeting of the Wellington Trotting Club last night. Referring to “the intolerant section of the community who were seizing every opportunity to attack and kill sport,” Mr. Armstrong said that the people had in the recent hysterical outburst in Christchurch against the proposed Sunday arrival of the Tasman flyers, an indication of the lengths to ■which intolerance would go. “This outburst.” he said, “was one of the most striking examples of intolerance that has ever come before the people of this country. The Rev. J. K. Archer even went so far as to send a telegram to the gallant airmen asking them not to arrive on Sunday. These sportsmen, in attempting to fly over such a great waste of ocean, show a greater practical trust in God and religion than any hymn-singing people do who are so narrow-minded to pass such resolutions. Christchurch should be full of gratitude that the airmen have selected that city as the landing place in New Zealand, without some small and mean-headed people protesting hysterically against their arriving on a Sunday.”