DISAPPOINTED AUCKLANDERS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 300, 19 September 1928, Page 12

DISAPPOINTED AUCKLANDERS

LARGE CROWD RETURNS HOME Dominion Special Service. Auckland, September 18. A large crowd had assembled at the Auckland Aero Club’s landing-ground at Ultimata this afternoon before it became known that the flight from Hawera of the Southern Cross crew had been postponed until to-morrow. Soon after the announcement was made a long string of cars was returning to the city with disappointed occupants. ’Thirty police were on duty, and Major Isitt had all in readiness for the landing. Staff-Sergeant-Pilot Simpson, Air-Mechanic Smith, and Private Dini, of the New Zealand ’ Air Force, arrived at Auckland this morning, and appeared on the scene to assist at 1.30. These men were specially dispatched from the Wigram Military Aerodrome to look after the Bristol fighters. WELLINGTON’S WELCOME APPRECIATED AIRMEN’S THANKS The Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) yesterday afternoon received the following letter from the Southern Cross airmen, dispatched prior to their departure from Wellington“Sir,—On behalf of our colleagues and selves, we wish to thank you and the people of Wellington for tiie honour you have conferred upon us in giving us a civic reception, and for the many other courtesies that have been extended to us during our stay in your city. May we respectfully compliment and congratulate you, sir. upon the progressive spirit of yourself and councillor*: in considering the establishment of a municipal air port for 'Wellington. Again thanking you for all that has been done for us in your city, we are, yours,, very truly, C. Kingsford Smith. C. T. P. Ulm, co-commanders, Southern Cross.” The Mayor called at the Royal Oak

Hotel early yesterday morning to say good-bye to the aviators before they left for Trentham to continue their flight to Auckland. Before leaving Wellington yesterday the following statement was issued by Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieutenant. Ulm:— “On behalf of our colleagues. Messrs. Litchfield and McWilliams, and on our own behalf, we desire to publicly thank the people of New Zealand anil particularly the people of Wellington for the magnificent welcome that has been accorded us in this city. We have received hundreds of congratulatory let ters and telegrams and have made every endeavour to answer each one personally, but now find that pressure of engagements make it quite impossible for ns to answer the last batch of mail which has just arrived, and therefore would like, through these columns to thank those who have written and telegraphed us, arid to whom we have been unable to reply personally.” MRS. ULM HEARS HUSBAND’S VOICE By Telegraph.—Press Association. Sydney, September 18. Mrs. Ulm was delighted here last night at hearing her husband broadcast from New Zealand. She heard him tell the gathering at Tom Heeney’s reception that he and “Smithy” backed Tunney in the big fight. She thought how brutally candid her husband was. She also heard the thunderous applause, which was “sweet music.” SPEECHES AND SPEECHES To the Editor. Sir, —1 hope I have still, after a half century in this vale of tears, enough of the milk of human kindness left in me to save men from any charges of being a soured and disgruntled mortal. But now and then things happen that make me wonder whether, after all, matters could not be better arranged in this sad, bad, mad world of ours. For example, with hundreds—or thousands—more, I wended my way to the Town Hall yesterday with the intention of listening to the voices of the gallant aviators who pioneered the way across the stormy Tasman. I am quite sure my purpose was the purpose of nine-tenths

of the people there, but listen and hear how our purpose was frustrated : The Mayor spoke, the Prime Minister spoke, the Leader of the Opposition spoke, the chairman of the Harbour Board spoke, the hairman of the Chamber of Commerce spoke, then I fled, for all gentlemen spoke at lengt h— excellent ly. I admit, hat I had no desire to hear them, but the aviators. ~ ... Can we not arrange matters tiettei for the future? Yesterday's incident recalls to memory another story ol the -mod town of Ilnwick, in the South of Scotland. The local Archaeological Society was celebrating its jubilee, and had secured Lord Rosebery, orator of the Empire. for the star turn. But Lord Rose berv was put far down in the list; Bathe Brown and Councillor Green, and treasurer Black had to speak first, and it looked as if each of them had resolved to show Lord Rosebery what a good speaker he was. So Lord Rosebery was called upon somewhere near ton o’clock, and bis speech ran something like this: After the eloquence we have listened to to-night gentlemen. T would not think of inflicting another sneech on you. so I bid you ‘Good night.’ ” And ho did. and the reporters from the loading dailies of Britain had to be content that night with those remarks as the speech of the silvertongued English orator. Verb, sap 1 T do not propose to elaborate the moral, but T do suggest that on future occasions like to yesterday, the star mon should bo given the fuller prominence and our admirable local .men. whom we can hear nt any .time, should take a less conspicuous position.—T am. ” DUNS SCOTUS. Wellington. September 17.