AVIATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1934, Page 3

AVIATION

McGREGOR AND WALKER. [by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] SYDNEY, November 7. McGregor and Walker arrived at Mascot to-day, at 10.45 a.m. SYDNEY, November 8. McGregor and Walker will sail with the plane aboard the Monowai for New Zealand to-morrow. They intend doing an aerial tour of New Zealand. CHRISTCHURCH, November 7. A letter the Town Clerk (Mr J. C. Neville) has received from the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) says that everyone present on the aerodrome at the time of the landing of McGregor and Walker at Melbourne was a New Zealander. Mr Sullivan writes that he and the Mayoress went to the aerodrome to see the New Zealanders land, with the Rev. E. T. Cox, Mayor of Dunedin, Mr R. M. Firth, New Zealand Government representative in Melbourne, Messrs A. E. Fraser and T. L. Beeson, of the New Zealand Association, Mr W. G. Black, President of the Manawatu Aero Club, and Colonel Helier Evans, President of the Victoria Branch of the N.Z.R.S.A. There were several other New Zealanders on the ground at the time of the landing, including Mr H. J. Fleming, of the Melbourne “Argus,” formerly on “The Sun,” Christchurch. The Mayor says that he and the Mayor of Dunedin congratulated the New Zealand flyers on their performance, about which they were not very talkative.

His letter goes on: “After a chat, the taking of photographs, a cup of coffee for the fliers, and ( necessary preliminaries, we set off fBr Menzies Hotel. The only clothes the fliers had were what they stood in, a leather vest, shirt, pants, socks, and shoes, and they had to be rigged out, and as it was Sunday morning that was difficult, but the officers of the New Zealand Association got a warehouse opened somehow, and made them look presentable. We had a little function at Menzies Hotel, drank their health, and made little speeches, the whole thing being very informal and pleasant. Yesterday I went out to see the conclusion of the Centenary Thousand Cycle Race at Komo Bark. I had a chat with H. G. Watson, of Christchurch, who was a little disappointed that he had not won. He is a good sport, and the papers here spoke highly of his courage and endurance on the mountain part of the run. Some of the foreign riders say that that particular part of the race was the worst they had ever taken part in. Quite a lot pulled out. Len Hill, of Christchurch, had bad luck, having had a fall. New Zealand is well represented here, isn’t it, what with our New Zealand cyclists, New Zealand, rowers, and New Zealand horses? I was disappointed, however, that we were not, represented at the International Pageant, and we do not appear to be represented at the “All Australia.” Exhibition. Mr Cox and myself were the principal guests at the Tree Planters’ Dinner the day before yesterday. were treated as the principal guests, and made speeches. We told them what our municipalities and the Government were doing in regard to tree-planting, and they were greatly interested. Apparently New Zealand has done a good deal more in that

direction than Australia—but the Australian speakers, including an exLord Mayor, knew a good deal about the New Zealand operations.” HEWETT’S TASMAN FLIGHT. SYDNEY, November 7. Hewett and Kay, landed to-day at Cootamundra, en route to Sydney. They are remaining there overnight. Hewett stated that they would fly the Tasman Sea as soon as their machine was overhauled at the Mascot Aerodrome. SYDNEY, November 8. Hewett and Kay were forced to stay the night at Cootamundra, owing to stormy weather. They expect to cross the Tasman in 9 hours,- landing at Auckland. MOLLISONS’ RETURN. ROME, November 7. The Mollisons have arrived. Amy joined a Dutch air liner, and Jim left for Marseilles in the Comet, alone. FREDA THOMPSON MISSING (Recd. Nov. 8, 11 a.m.). DARWIN, November 8. Freda Thompson left for Newcastle Waters at ten o’clock yesterday morning, but has not reached there. She was reported passing Powell’s Creek sixty miles south of Newcastle Waters, living southward, and it is presumed "that she missed Newcastle Waters, and is now lost in Central Australia. Two Moth planes are prepared to leave Darwin this morning to search for Miss Thompson, if no word is received of her whereabouts.

KINGSFORD SMITH. LOS ANGELES, November 6. Sir C. Kingsford Smith’s reception at the motion picture colony here was much different from that accorded him six years ago, when he was trying to finance his then “fantastic idea” of flying the Pacific Ocean. To-day he and Captain Taylor were wined and dined by notables in the motion colony, who listened, instead of laughing, when Smith said that, before many years, there will be a commercial trans-Pacific air service in land aeroplanes, .and not in seaplanes. Captain Taylor has proceeded to New York. Thence he.will go to England to joint an air transport service. The Lady Southern Cross has remained under attachment here, for alleged debt, and as to-day was the election day holiday, no further legal moves were made in the battle to recover it. EMPIRE SERVICES. LONDON, November 7. Sir P. Sassoon states that the British Government, in co-operation with the Dominions,'is taking immediate steps to speed, up civic aviation throughout the Empire. QUESTIONS IN COMMONS. LONDON, November 7. In the Commons, Sir P. Sassoon told ’ questioners that negotiation® wore proceeding with the French for British commercial planes to fly" between Paris and Marseilles. It was hoped that a satisfactory settlement would soon be reached. The British commercial aircrafts speeds between England and Singapore ranged from 105 to 120 miles hourly.’

The Dutch planks on the same route travelled at 107 to 119. The Government, for some time, had been considering proposals accelerating the Imperial Airways’ services without disproportionately increasing the cost. He could not at present make a statement on the subject. He hoped the new' programme would be disclosed.

GREYMOUTH AERODROME. UNEXPECTED EXPENDITURE. The amended plans for the Greymouth aerodrome, near the beach, have been received from the Public Works Department, and they will involve considerably greater expenditure than was at first expected. The requirejrients include an extension of the east to west runway from 11 to 15 chains, and this will involve the lowering of the land level by 4ft Gins, at certain points. The material is to be used as filling for the portion of the site on the lagoon. It is expected that the cost of putting the ground in order, with one runway, will be £BOOO or more, in order that the necessary certificate may be secured for a commercial landing ground. The whole matter will be discussed at further length by the Borough Council, at an early date, as to whether the money available should be expended in the creation of portion of the proposed' runway, and ways and means devised over a period with regard to the raising of the balance of the money required, to finalise the suggested amendments. “I am naturally concerned to see ■some definite step taken and progress made,” said the Mayor (Mr J. W. Greenslade) to-day, “but unless someone can suggest where the additional finance is to come from, there must be considerable delay in bringing the scheme to fruition.’ ’