INJURED AIRMAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1929, Page 7

INJURED AIRMAN

NEW ZEALANDER’S WELCOME. (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) , (Recd. Nov. 9, 9 a.m.} MELBOURNE, November 8. k , Charles D. Pratt, who with J. Guthrie, was severely injured when they crashed in the East-West air race, some months ago, returned to. hjs home town, Geelong, by aeroplane, pildted by himself, although not quite recovered from the accident. He was welcomed by a large crowd, including his mother, who came specially from New Zealand to greet him; also Mr A. Lbuisson, owner of the, Melbourne Cup winner, Nightmarch, who heartily congratulated him as a fellow New Zealander. The crowd carried Pratt shoulder? high, and the band played “See the Conquering Hero Comes.” Pratt explained that when he crashed in Western Australia he and Guthrie had the air race well won. , . His companion, Guthrie, is still in the Perth Hospital, with a torn liver, but is slowly recovering. - AUSTRALIAN FORCE. CANBERRA, November 9. There was grave concern among officers of the Defence forces and officers of other ranks of the Royal Australian Air Force, when it became 1 known that Cabinet had decided to abolish the Air Board and bring the air defence administration under the control of the Army Council.