GLOBAL “AIR-TRAMP” SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22314, 26 April 1947, Page 5

GLOBAL “AIR-TRAMP” SERVICE

N.Z. PILOT CAPTAINS TEST FLIGHT LONDON, April 23. A former R.A.F. bomber left. London to-day on the*first round-the-world “air tramp” service. The plane.is one of 14 belonging to the London Aero and Motor Services Limited.

Mr. Keith Thiele, of Christchurch, New Zealand, is captain, and a former naval surgeon, Lieutenant-Commander Graham Humby, is second pilot. The outward route is Iceland, Newfoundland, Canada, San Francisco, Honolulu, New Zealand, Australia. The return route is via the Dutch' East Indies, Singapore, Rangoon, India. The trip is a test flight to see if it is possible to obtain cargoes from place to place. The New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr. Jordan, handed to Mr. Thiele a letter for the Prime Minister. Mr. Fraser, also a carved and painted ; treplica of the ancient coat of arms of j;

Stamford, a Lincolnshire town about 174 miles from Peterborough. The replica was presented to Mr. Jordan by the Mayor of Stamford to send to the Mayor of Masterton, Mr. Kemp, at a ceremony arranged by the Central Office of Information to start a connection between Stamford and Masterton. The Central Office is planning to bracket towns in Britain with those in Dominions as part of the “Links of Empire” plan. The Halifax was delayed in taking oil on April 21 while fitting on extra petrol tanks. It is now leaving on April 23 and is estimated to arrive at Whenuapai in about a fortnight’s .time*-