NO HOSTILITY. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 6

NO HOSTILITY. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I should be obliged if you would graiit me space to reply to sundry comments which have appeared in the press during the week, legarding the attitude of the crowd which assembled the •Uhletic Park on Saturday last to witness Mr. Scotland in the ciir. In the fiist place, I hold no brief for 'he spoitsmanship of the Wellington pubic in general — the appearance of the hills surrounding the paik black with people intent on having a free show makes such an attitude a mockery. At the same time I should like to clear the assemblage inside the park of any accusation of hostility to the aviator, who, tfiey recognised, was 'the judge as to the safety of the weather conditions. The facts are that very many people sat for over an hour in a bleak Southerly wind, without any intimation from the management that the conditions were nnsuited to an exhibition. Indeed, in order to fill the treasury to the utmost, all the arrangements preliminary to an exhibition were gone thiough, giving the pubJfe the impression that a flight was intended. Towards evening the j^tience of the crowd became exhausted, but the resentment displayed was directed solely against the. controlling, syndicate,, which induced thousands to enter the pa?k to witness a'llight that they apparently knew', under the circumstances, could not take place. No one wanted Scotland to risk his liie, but those who stood ±o make money out of his skill surely had a duty to those people.— l am, etc., STABILISER. P.S. — I enclose my pass-ticket and invite the secretary to redeem it and contribute whatever its value may be to the Scotland Relief Fund.