POPULAR AGITATION

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 100, 25 October 1933, Page 9

POPULAR AGITATION

POSITION SHOULD BE FOUND

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, October 19. The enthusiastic receptions accorded to him on the completion of his record flight from England to Australia prove again that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith is the idol of Australian crowds. His accomplishments in the air- are many, but each one seems greater than the last, "and his popularity is enhanced accordingly. At Brisbane, at Sydney, and at Mclbourno thousands of people turned out to greet^him, and the nature of those greetings left.no doubt as to their sincerity. The cheers rang true, and in Australia's- recent history few mien have received, greater ovations. The novelty of welcoming Smithy, it would seem, never wears off. The unbounded faith in him is remarkable. All the speakers at the various ceremonies have emphasised the worth of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith to Australia and to aviation. They say that the Commonwealth never had a better advertisement, and that no .man ever did more to popularise aviation. He has set a standard which the new air mail between London and Australia might well maintain. Single-handed he has shown how close to England Australia really is, and, it is held, there is no reason why multi-engined machines, "with relay pilots, should take any longer on the outward journey than he did himself. However, the keynote of all the speeches has been the demand that the services of Sir Kingsford Smith should be recognised in a practical manner by the Federal Government. True,. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith has been made a knight because of his achievements in the .past, but it is desired now that he should be "given a job." "HND SMITHY A JOB." . It is generally believed that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's inaneial resources are such that ho cannot afford to rest on his laurels. He has said tiino' and again that an airman must live, and as ho knows no' other occupation he must exploit to the full that in which he is efficient. It is because of this that there is a popular demand on the Federal Government to "find Smithy a job"—a job in keeping with his attainments. It has been suggested, for instance, that be might well bo appointed aerial adviser to the Government, a position that could easily be created seeing that the Government is on tho point of creating important aerial services that will link the Commonwealth with tho great air mail service of the Empire.' It is claimed that he should receive a salary which would make it unnecessary for him to worry further about records, and that - his knowledge of the air would be invaluable to the Federal Government, both from the point of view of commerce and of defence. , . Speaking at the welcome at Mascot on Saturday the Lord Mayor of Sydney (Alderman E. C. Hagon) made references to the remissness of the Federal Government, and suggested that Sir Charles'3 services might well be availed of. He should be given a chance to establish the new.aerial service to Singapore, or his wonderful ability should be utilised in some other way. The wild applause which followed these remarks left no doubt as to tho feelings of the crowd. Others spoke in a similar strain, and the response from tho listeners was the same. NOT LOOKING FOB FAVOUBS. Some little time ago, when the position of Director of Civil Aviation became vacant, some surprise was expressed when it became known that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was not a candidate for the position. Possibly Sir Charles threw some light on his attitude when he replied to the speeches made at his Sydney welcome on Saturday. "I am not looking for any favours from anyone, "he said. "I hope I may never have tt do so. So long as I am strong and well I will endeavour to do my; own job satisfactorily, and 1 trust that in doing so I will be of some service to Australia. (Applause.) It is B'o'me satisfaction that Australia is getting credit for my exploits. I like flying, and I doubt whether even a pair of crutches would keep me out of an aeroplane." At the same time it is' felt in some quarters that if-Sir Charles had been offered the position of Director of Civil Aviation ho would have accepted it. Sir Charles is resting for a week m Melbourne, and on his return to Sydney he will go fully into tho conditions of tender for tho aerial mail service between Australia and Singapore, connecting at Singapore with tho Imperial Airways. He stated definitely that the company in which ho was interested would be a tenderer on its own responsibility. It is known also that Mr. C. T. P. Uhn will be a tenderer, and while in London Sir Charles offered his services to Mr. Ulm, should" the latter be successful. Meanwhile Sir Charles is preparing plans for the manufacture and salo of aeroplanes in Australia. He has secured a licence for the building in Sydney of Porciva) Gull aeroplanes of the type used by him in making his record. Sir Charles will also complete his plans for another crossing of the T.asman and on that flight, he says, he will closely scrutinise thP possibility of establishing an air mail between Sydney and New Zealand'