CITY'S FIRST PAGEANT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 120, 16 November 1929, Page 10

CITY'S FIRST PAGEANT

THRILLS FOR HUGE CROWD

A WEATHER SURPRISE

--• All doubts as to the weather were !; set at rest at an early hour this morning, and to-day the Bongotai aerodrome was given life by a thoroughly .-.successful air pageant from the spec- ,-; tacular point of view. Droning overhead, or taxi-ing over the level surface [; of the spacious aerodrome, the variouscoloured : machines showed up clearly . against the clear sky and in the bright sunlight, and,,flanked by the sandnills ...and the azure waters of Lyall Bay, the ■■'r. aerodrome stressed tho' fact that Wellington is the first city in the Domin- ■ ion to spur on the nationally valuable science of flight by its own airport. \t v twelve o 'clock there were present nine many of whom had been ■making trial flights to test the wind and the course, some of them looping otherwise stunting to disprove *he apparently prevalent idea that fancy flying is only possible in calm weather. Other 'planes to arrive will bring the ..total number competing up to fourteen. .As for the crowd, its enthusiasm in : the inspiring spectacles presented completely removed Wellington from the stigma ,of being undemonstrative. Cheers, especially from the irrepressible .. younger section, were frequent. Seating accommodation had been; provided for 4000 people, and the public enelos- . ures were estimated to hold fifteen thousand. Parking was provided for '-. 1000 ears. As 2 p.m., the official starting time, approached, it was evident •that none too much space had been set apart for spectators. Many, moreover, . saw the- proceedings from the- wrong ,Bide of the fence. Fortunately,for the . Aero Club, there were no eminences ijn the vicinity (except those from . which the public, and motor-cars also, .were barred), from which a full view „ pf the proceedings was obtainable, but .Jthere wero not wanting those who had -a distant, but comprehensive, view\ from the hilla above Melrose and Seatoun Heights. The traffic arrangements and those lor controlling the competi-- ; tors were excellent. .-- In view of the long afternoon programme, it had been intended to run ;; off some of the heats in the aerial ~\ 7 derby this morning, but in view of the non-arrival of some of the competitors in time, this was abandoned. The northwesterly wind was a help in taking ff and landing into it, and'as the aerodrome had been laid out to suit th 3 prevailing winds, the wind from this direction gave the maximum of 'length available. Occasional gusts made things bumpy for some of the pilots, but tHe ease with which all the machines were handled must have re- ' moved many doubts from the minds ..of those who have not previously atv.tended an aerodrome in full swing. The iaerial battle between two GlosterGubes, owing to tho crash of Captain .Buckley at Blenheim, had to be abandoned, and the heats for the Aerial Derby took the place of this event. ' ' OTHER ARRIVALS. In addition to the 'arrivals .up to the time "The Post" went to press yesVterday Messrs. Goodwin. and Chichester's Avro-Avian came in from Christ- : church at 3.15 p.m., flown by Captain ■'„Bolt, .with Mr. Goodwin as passenger. About 4 p.m. Captain M'Gregor took Tip Mr. J3. Lloyd, of the Wellington Aero Club, who distributed pamphlets. These seemed to shoot out laterally, showing the strength of the' wind, and seemed .to hang in the sky, moving,faster eastwards than they fell. The next to -■arrive was Captain Burrell, in a Gloster Grebe, from Blenheim. ';,-•' Captain Hall arrived with his wife as a passenger from Hororata at 10 o'clock in a private machine. Mr. Mill came in three-quarters of an hour later. The Auckland contingent was ito have left this morning. Captain "White left by motor-car to bring in his machine from Martinborough. Captain Allen is still at Dannevirke, and it is not known whether his aeroplane can be fixed up in time for him to participate. Captain Buckley's arrival is . uncertain. ' ■ f 1 Shortly after 12 o'clock Captain , White arrived from Martinborough. .At 2 p.m. all seating accommodation ■was taken, people were clustered like flies on all sandhills and small knolls, while garden walls, gardens, and summits of ridges at Eongotai were thickly peopled. The ten 'planes were drawn up along the Lyall Bay side of the aerodrome, while the seating accommodation was along the side of the road to the bitumen plant, where there was a dense phalanx of people, with many standing behind. ' J,ust before 2 p.m., Mr. T. C. A. His.lop, president of the Aero Club, said it was his privilege to ask the Mayor to open the pageant, and at the- same , time declare the airport open on behalf of the city. He thanked those who had assisted the pageant, particularly the pilots, who had come voluntarily to _ give a demonstration, and to assist in promoting an air sense in /Wellington. He also thanked the City Council and citizens for the provision of the ground, and the Defence Department for assistance in providing _ advice and machines. The pageant was " organised not only for the purpose of showing the citizens something of the development of air work to-day, but to enable the club to raise funds to promote the movement. ■■■ The Auckland contingent arrived at 3 o'clock. THE OFFICIAL OPENING. Officially opening the pageant shortly ■before 2 p.m., the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) drew attention to the unique nature of the ceremony. No other city in New Zealand had set apart an aerodrome area within itself. He referred to the-change from sandhills to level land, and the future aspect of the aerodrome when it was all grassed. Mr. Troup alluded to the steps taken to form a civic aerodrome, and to his own part in them, the first suggestions being his. "Visits to the ground were paid first by General Young and Major Wilkes, then by Kingsford Smith and trim, later by Air-Marshal Sir John Salmond, and still later by the Minister of. Defence, Major Isitt, and Wing-Commander Gf ant-Dalton," he said. "All of them declared that as a commercial airport it was in every way suitable, Kingsford Smith and Ulm being the most enthusiastic and encouraging of the lot. The City Council •took the matter up very enthusiastically and lost no time in getting to work, with the result you see. "With regard to the buildings and general equipment, tho. council is, I think, wisely proceeding cautiously. The whole venture is new. We have no knowledge yet what kind or size of commercial' aeroplanes are to bo flown. "We have been told by one company that four passenger 'planes will be used; by another that it intends to fly ten passenger machines. 'We will wait and see just what is definitely going to .be done before building any further hangars. The present hangar, an old building re-erected, will accommodate seven or eight small aeroplanes, with workshop and lavatory accommodation. That, with two masts and wind . signal cones, and pumps to supply petrol, completes our equipment for the present. It oan be added to from, time to time. . "First and foremost, the purpose of

this aerodrome is to create an air sense amongst the people of Wellington. At the present time there is a great reluctance on the part of people to fly, simply because they have never done, it before. This inertia or reluctance to leave good old Mother Earth has to be overcome, and this can only bo done by demonstration and education. When people, realise that it is as safe to travel by aeroplane as it is by railway train or motor-ear, then they will fly. To help to this end, the Aero Club has come into existence, and I wish to bear testimony to the assistance this club has already given. This pageant would not have been staged to-day but for them. "Wellington's one aeroplane is due to their efforts. This 'plane was the gift of the proprietors of tho 'Evening Post,' and, in the name of the city, I thank them. It is a handsome gift and a credit to Wellington. It is hoped that another 'plane will be secured as a result of this meeting. I desire also to specially mention the names of Councillor T. Hislop and Mr. N. M'Arthur, the president and secretary of the Aero Club. The second object of this ground is to teach men, arid women too, through the agency of the Aero Club, to fly. The third object is to encourage commercial flying. Just on the eve of developing it was necessary that Wellington. should have an aerodrome to receive them, seeing that whether machines travel north or south, to the east or west coasts of both islands, they must perforce pass over Wellington." "I venture to predict," added the Mayor, "that before another generation arises Wellington's airport will be as essential to the welfare of the city as the harbour is to-day. In the air things are going to happen that man as yet has never dreamt .of, and as Mayor of the city I feel proud that I have been privileged in some small measure to take part in initiating this great and far-reaching undertaking." ■ Mr. Troup, accompanied by Mr. T M Wilford and Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, walked over to . Catpain M'Gregor's Moth, which had quietly taxied up during the close of the address, and stepped in. making the target of a battery of cameras in his airman's cap and goggles, amidst applause. Firmly fastened in, Mr. Troup called humorous 'Good-byes" The engine fired at the first turn, a cloud of dust flew away as the 'plane turned and taxied to the starting place up wind. An easy start Was made ana after a short flight a perfect landing was made.