CAPTAIN DICKSON LEAVES BLENHEIM.

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 58, 6 September 1920, Page 8

CAPTAIN DICKSON LEAVES BLENHEIM.

(From a- Correspondent.)

BLENHEIM, 4th September. The week which has elapsed between this arrival of Captain Dicksoa last Saturday evening and his departure. this morning has been an exciting one lor Marlborough. From far and near people have flocked to nave a fly on the Avro machine. The mechanic, Mr. J. E. Moore, had a task in allotting seats to the individuals of the clamouring throng, during tho first three days of the flying. Later on the rush eased off, but, all told, about 250 "joy-riders" ascended into the blue. One of these was a prominent bandsman, who took his cornet with him; and as the graceful air-liner circled above Blenheim, the clear, ringing notes of "Killarney" were wafted down.

But "flying week" is over now. At 11.43 o'clock this morning the Ayro leaped from the sward into the skies, and in one hour and eleven minutes she was sweeping gracefully down at Kaikoura, 98 miles away by road. The lady passenger, Mrs: E. Limbrick, of Blenheim, who occupied the spare seat, wired back that she had had a glorious air voyage above the seaward Kaikouras.

Every day has been busy for Captain Dickson, and every evening he has been entertained in Blenheim. Yesterday he was motored to Picton to inspect possible landing places. The Mayor and councillors met him and entertained him. He had to report regretfully, however, that Picton would hot do as an aeroplane base. The hills were too high and the flats too rough. But for seaplanes the Sounds were most suitable. ; '

Before the airmen sailed this morning, they were presented with wallets as substantial tokens of the esteem in which they are held here by all who have met them. In a happy reply, Captain Dickson said that Marlborough was wellnamed "The Golden." An hour later as his plane began to move amid cheer» orf her southward journey, he shouted, above the song of the exhaust, "Good-bye, Marlborough the Golden!" .