A PERFECT ARRIVAL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 53, 11 September 1928, Page 12

A PERFECT ARRIVAL

SCENE AT SOCKBURN CROWDS RUSH THE BARRIERS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHEISTCHUECH, This Day. By 9 a.m. a solid mass of people lined tho fence which separated the racecourse from the landing ground, and a continuous stream kept.coming in from the entrances. The excitement was intense. When the five home 'planes went up, the crowd raised a cheer. A great murmur arose when at 9.16 a.m. tho Southern Cross, looking a giant between two Bristol fighters, loomed into view from the direction of Fcndalton. The sight was the most impressive seen here for many a day. The visibility was perfect, and the watchers picked up the Southern Cross with the naked eye almost as soon as those with field glasses. Dwarfing its escorting Brwistol fighters, the splendid machine, squatlooking with its single wings and square fusilage, flew low over the crowd and then three times around the aerodrome. The crowd burst into a great cheer, hats flew into the air, handkerchiefs were waved, and in response a handkerchief was waved from the 'plane. Each time the Southern Cross circled over the crowd tho cheering rose again. The 'plane made a perfect landing at 9.22 a.m., and proceeded slowly to its hangar. ENTHUSIASM WINS. The general public kept strictly behind the barriers, but those in the official enclosure, swept away by enthusiasm, surrounded the 'plane almost before it had stopped. Following the example of those in the official enclosure, and in spite of the efforts of the police and territorials to keep them back, a large section of the great crowd burst through the barriers, and in three seconds tho landing place was swarmed by a scurrying, crowding mass of people. The police and territorials, abandoning the barrier, rushed to the Southern Cross, and in a very quick time had a reasonable space cleared. A further outburst of cheering and waving of handkerchiefs and hats arose when the flyers got out of the Southern Cross. The First Battalion Band, which, had played "Hearts of Oak" as the 'plane touched the ground, now struck up "For They are Jolly Good Fellows," and a section of the crowd joined in heartily. Despite the fact that by this time the barriers were almost completely demolished, and the great majority of the general public were in the enclosure, tho crowd were quite orderly. Many thousands of people wero gathered round the Southern Cross, anxious to catch a glimpse of the first men to fly the treacherous Tasman. PROTECTING THE MACHINE. As there seemed a possibility o fthe crowd in their enthusiasm scrambling over the machine a hurried cordon of Air Force men, who immediately surrounded the Southern Cross, was quickly reinforced by the police and mounted artillerymen. As each Bristol lighted made a landing it was chased and surrounded by those who could not get a look at the big attraction. The crowd was one of the most animated that it could be possible to see. The cordon round the Southern Cross gradually cleared a substantial space, and

the airmen could be seen posing for the benefit of a small army of cameramen. The weather, which had caused very much doubt and delay, made full atonement. A faint breath of wind prevented an oppressive heat and the sun shone from an almost cloudless sky. It was a perfect spring morning, just the circumstance needed to make the great event of such a splendid landing absolutely faultless. A LITTLE RADIO SPEECH. The radio operator of the Southern Cross, Mr. M'Williams, of Wellington, was persuaded to speak ovef the air. 'I don't know quite what they are asking me to say to you," he said, "as lam very very deaf. Wo are very pleased to have landed, and had a very decent trip except that the Tasman is the Tasman, and, if any of you have been across it, you know it is rough, and on this particular occasion it was very rough. lam very pleased indeed to have been associated with Australia's most eminent aviators in this flight across the Tasman. I thank you." Nearly 25,000 people were at the aerodrome. It was stated that the speed from Sydney was greater than any speed attained hitherto, mainly as the result of the following winds.