AFTER A BAD NIGHT

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

AFTER A BAD NIGHT

SMITH IN A BRIGHT MOOD (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHEISTCHUECH, This Day. It was a smiling Kingsford Smith who appeared at a window of the United Service Hotel at 10.10 a.m. The crowd had been waiting for a while, and it became tense a? the sight of

Marie Dean, photo.

the uniform with its long row of medal ribbons. The airman looked a little fairer and slighter than his pictures had suggested. He waved his hand, and when the cheering had subsided he put his hands to his mouth and shouted: "I did not know that there were so many people in Christchurch. You ought to have seen them at the aerodrome. Thank you very much for your welcome. We are glad to be here, but, by jove, we had a bad night, and coming

apparatus on tho Southern Cross to break down for over an hour last night, according to Mr. T. H. M'Williams, the radio operator. He states that in the storm area the 'plane flow at a height of over 7000 feet. "It was very cold in tho cabin, and ray feet were like ice," added Mr. M'WiUiams. "Wo thought that it was cold enough on tho first hop, but it was nothing compared with tins. However, we are getting used to the rough stuff. We will probably be in New Zealand for at least a fortnight, so as to get tho next full moon for our return. "Squadron-Leadei Kingsford Smith iis a great pilot. We did the . trip from Sydney to Wellington in just over twelve hours, an average of about 100 miles an hour. We started ! off with a fair westerly wind, but later struck it very bumpy."

lii-eeu and Himn, imoiu.