THANKS FOR FINE WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 54, 1 September 1945, Page 8

THANKS FOR FINE WORK

TRAINERS FOR R.N.Z.A.F.

A special visit, quite informal in every way, .was paid by the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) to the De Havilland aircraft factory at Rongotai yesterday afternoon so that he might thank the employees of the company personally for the fine work they have done for New Zealand's part in tne war. There was no ceremony whatever; Mr. Fraser, who was met by Mr. N. E. Higgs, general manager of the^ New Zealand company, went directly to the works canteen, and after speaking briefly, met personally as many as he might in the time and then gathered everyone together for a De Havilland "family photograph," as informal as the rest of the visit. In launching an entirely new industry for New Zealand and in turning out about 300 trainer planes for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and in taking so grsat a part in maintaining machines in flying order during the press of the war years and under the limitations of a new industry, the company and the men and women had done a wonderful job indeed, said Mr. Fraser. He told them something of what he had seen at the parent factory at Hatfield: of his first sight of the jet plane, overhead and away; and of huge jet planes built and building overseas—one that slept 75 passengers or carried 150 by day, or could carry 250 troops. After the very brief talk, and a cup of tea at the canteen, Mr. Fraser went through the various sections of the. factory and talked to others he had not met at the canteen gathering.