ARRIVAL AT DARWIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 10, 11 December 1930, Page 7

ARRIVAL AT DARWIN

FLIGHT-LIEUTENANT HILL. STILL DOGGED BY ILL-LUCK. WING OF ’PLANE DAMAGED. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) DARWIN, Dec. 10. Flight-Lieutenant Cedric Hill, who had the ill-luck to crash at Atamboea on the last stage of his flight from England to Australia, while running a neck-and-neck race with Air-Comman-der Kingsford Smith, arrived to-day at Darwin from Ivoepang at 10.30 a.m., Darwin time. He ran into rain off Timor, otherwise the trip over the water of 480 miles was uneventful. His arrival at Darwin was not expected. Lieutenant Hill saw the steamer Marella when nearing Darwin. He circled overhead and tried to drop a message, which, however, missed the ship. The passengers were very excited. Referring to his crash some time ago, he said that he would have beaten Bert Hinkler’s record but for that mishap. He had carried out all his own repairs with the assistance of an Air Force crew. He would try to sell his aeroplane in Australia, but if it did not sell he would ship it back to England, where he was due on his old job in March. His plans now consist of a flight to Brisbane, Sydney, and probably to Melbourne. Lieutenant Hill is a tall, jovial young man—a typical Cornstalk. His aeroplane is blue and silver in colour, and is named Jane —after his wife—who ie awaiting his arrival at Brisbane. He is most anxious to greet her. He is wearing a green coat, khaki shirt, green shorts, grey golf stockings, and black shoes. Lieutenant Hill left to-day for Daly Waters, but a message received later at Darwin states that he was forced down behind a school at Pine Creek, 150 miles south-east of Darwin. He was not injured, but one wing of the ’plane was damaged, and it is not known whether he can repair it locally. Before his departure for _ Daly Waters, a local aboriginal prisoner handed him a white nosegay for “somebody Down South.”