SOUTHERN CROSS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 147, 17 March 1933, Page 13

SOUTHERN CROSS

Arrival at Wellington TO-DAY’S RECEPTION Kingsford Smith’s Visit ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME Having completed his tour of the South Island, Air-Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith is expected to land the Southern Cross on Rongotai Aerodrome at 4.45 p.m. to-day, after a flight from Blenheim. Upon his arrival at Rongotai, Sir Charles will be given an oflicial welcome on the aerodrome by the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, who will speak as. Mayor and as president of the Wellington Aero Club, and Colonel A. Cowles, president of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, of which Sir Charles is a life member, will also welcome him. No passenger flying will be done to-day. In the evening, Sir Charles will make a personal appearance lit the screening of “Air Mail’’ at St. James Theatre, where he will lecture upon his great ocean flights,- and a film taken by Flight-Lieutenant C. Ulm during the Pacific flight will also be screened. An interesting portion of this film depicts the behaviour of the great machine in a tropical thunderstorm. “Air Mail is the film which was brought across the Tasman Sea by the Southern Cross. Afterward Sir Charles will go to the ball being tendered to the members of the Southern Cross party by the Wellington Aero Club and the Australian Society at the Mayfair Cabaret

Saturday and Sunday. Flights by the Southern Cross' will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday and from ten o’clock on Sunday morning. • Flying displays will be given by the pilots of the Wellington Aero Club on Saturday and Sunday-afternoon. An exhibition of formation flying, will be provided by Messrs. C. M. Duthie, S. R. Meatchem, and M. K. Archibald. ■ Squadron-Leader G. L. Stedman and Mr. Duthie, the club captain, Mr. C. C. Waite, and Flight-Lieutenant G. B. Bolt, will stage an aerial combat, in which the defeated pilot will be shot down in faked but realistic flames. Mr. , Waite will give a demonstration of towed gliding, and Flight-Lieutenant Bolt will do some crazy flying, a demon-, stration of how anyone can learn to fly from the book if he knows enough to start with. If conditions are favourable an exhibition of target shooting from a machine flying at a low altitude will also be given. At 10.30 o’clock on? Monday morning the Southern Cross will make a special flight to Marlborough Sounds and back, but Sir Charles will not fly during the afternoon. On Tuesday morning he will leave for Dannevirke, after which visits will be paid to Hawera and New Plymouth, where the extra tanks for the long return flight across the Tasman Sea will be refitted.

Sir Charles will fly from New Plymouth to the Ninety Mile Beach, and will set off on the flight over the Tasman immediately the weather conditions are favourable.

Preparations at Rongotai. .. 'The.surfacing, of the area of clay in front of the hangar was completed last evening. The mixture is one that sets quickly, but as it has only 24 hours to harden before the big machine passes over it, the test will be a severe one.

Other works that have been undertaken for the visit include the installation of loudspeakers around the aerodrome, the erection of a members’ stand, the fencing off of an enclosure for the Southern Cross, barriers to ensure that the main landing area will be kept clear, and notices giving directions as to parking, inquiry offices. Hangar space is nearly all taken up, and any visiting machines will have to be pegged down. Constant guard 'will be maintained over the Southern Cross and visiting machines during non-flying hours.

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. Saturday, and Sunday, Kingsford Smith Street, and Lyall Bay Parade will be closed to ordinary traffic. Parking will be prohibited in Coutts Street, from Hobart Street to Tirangi Road, in part of Rongotai Terrace where directed by the traffic officials, Kingsford Smith Street, and Lyall Bay Parade from Moa Point to Onepu Road. Parking will be permitted on portion bfithe Recreation Reserve,, the entrance being via’Onepu Road and Lyall Bay Parade.

REMISSION OF RATES Academy of Fine Arts Plea “NOTHING CAN BE DONE” Application for a subsidy covering the full amount of the rates has been made to the City Council by the Academy of Fine Arts. At last evening’s meeting of-the council the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said that so far the academy had not paid any rates, and the question might be left over until the end of the year. It was difficult to make a special case. •. The amount of these subsidies in former years was £4129, of which £3OOO was for the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum. Among the bodies concerned was the Women’s National Reserve, Workers’ Educational Association, Sailors’ Friend Society, Boys’ Institute, Free Ambulance, Red Cross Society, and others.

Cr. C. H. Chapman: I think we might , give the Free Ambulance something. “Its application Is for next year,” said the Mayor. “It seems to me that nothing can be done for the Academy of Fine Arts. The matter of the Free Ambulance could be left to the incoming council.” This was agreed to.