SIR ALAN COBHAM’S BOOK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 December 1926, Page 11

SIR ALAN COBHAM’S BOOK.

MY) AUSTRALIA AND BACK.” STORY OF HIS ADVENTURES. .iV CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION--GGPYRIOIiI Received 1 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Dec. 14. Sir Alan Cobham’s book, “To Australia and Back,” has been published. It has a foreword written by the Rt. Hon. S. M. Bruce, who says: “Sir Alan Cobham has demonstrated that the spirit of Drake, Raleigh, Franklin and Livingstone lives .still in the modern world. Science, if it added to our comfort, also opened new fields for conquest by the eternal spirit of youtli and high endeavour. For this evidence that the old qualities of the British races remain unimpaired in the hearts of the Empire’s best sons I offer him, in the name of his fellow countrymen, thanks and homage.” Sir Alan Cobham pays a tribute to the aid of Colonel Brinsmead rendered at Darwin, and appreciation of the fact that he travelled 2000 miles to meet him. “This is equivalent to Sir Sefton Brancker being sent 500 miles beyond Constantinople to meet an air voyager coming to England. But,” adds Sir Alan, “I quickly learnt that Australians think nothing of distance, for many motored 100 to 200 miles along bush tracks to see our machine, and we were amazed to find at least 150,000 at Melbourne. It was the biggest crowd I have ever seen. It is obvious that the people of Australia are more alive to the importance of Imperial aviation than those at Home, it is the most perfect country in the world for flying every day in the year.”