SAFE ARRIVAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 148, 24 May 1934, Page 7

SAFE ARRIVAL

MISS BATTEN AT DARWIN. WOMEN’S RECORD BROKEN. a' perfect landing. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) DARWIN, May 23. Miss Jean Batten, the New Zealand aviatrix, landed at 3 p.m., local time. She had left Koepang, 520 miles away, at 5.45 a.m., local time. Miss Batten, petite and • self-pos-sessed, captivated all at the aerodrome when she stepped from fier tiny ’plane. “Thank Heaven I am here,” she said. “Darwin was the best sight possible after fighting side winds all day. “I am tremendously pleased at breaking Amy Johnson’s time. This is my third attempt. 1 am thrilled to be here. I do not intend to fly the Tasman to New Zealand.. I shall ship tlie ’plane from Sydney.” Miss Batten refused to say more, but added that she was famished and wanted a cup of tea and a wash. Both were quickly provided. She worked all yesterday afternoon and before daylight to-day at Koepang on the engine of her ’plane, being unable to get mechanical assistance. Her clothes bore abundant evidence of the oily nature of her task. She was blown miles south of her course, but had no trouble in locating Darwin, where she side-slipped to a perfect landing, receiving the hearty congratulations of the crowd. Miss Batten is expected to reach Sydney on Saturday or Sunday. She gratefully accepts the services of the escorting aeroplanes sent to Darwin by Qantas Airways, Brisbane, which arrived there this morning piloted by Mr Ron Adair. It is expected that Miss Batten will desire a day’s rest before resuming her flight. MOTHER CONGRATULATED. PLEASURE IN LONDON. Received May 24, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, May 23. Although Mrs Batten intended to go to bed last night the excitement proved too great and she waited all night long with the telephone at her- elbow till the nows of her daughter’s arrival came. She declared: I feel the happiest and proudest woman in London. She is receiving hundreds of congratulatory messages. Other Australian fliers are delighted at_Miss Batten’s success, the Mollisons being particularly complimentary. Mrs Mollison said: I knew she could do it. She is made of the right stuff and put up a marvellous show. Sir Alan Cobliam said it was a magnificent achievement. Only one who made the flight can appreciate the anxiety which must have been in her mind. “I was certain she would get through,” said Mrs Batten. “I realised there was danger, but Jean is a good enough flyer to know when the weather does not permit taking off. She is doing just what I would have liked to do myself if I had had the opportunity.” Mrs Batten revealed- that when the project was first broached the men in ahe family opposed and the women supported the idea. Miss Batten said after Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s 1929 flight: “One day I shall do something like that.” She meant it, but her father, fearing for her safety, discouraged her. Thereupon Miss Batten, who was completing musical training in New Zealand, sold her piano, her mother realised on some property, and both came to London, where the former obtained her A and B licenses. They returned to Auckland in 1931 in the vain Hope of persuading Miss Batten’s father to finance the flight. They again visited New Zealand in 1932, and her father relented, after seeing Miss Batten loop the loop. He assisted in paying for her studying navigation. Her mother added: Jean will probably tour the Commonwealth, and I will join her there or in New Zealand. Jean scribbled a letter from Karachi saying she was enjoying every minute, even the sandstorms. Another message said she had had to go I'ov.ud Lebanon when approaching Damascus, because down draughts were bad crossing the mountains. Thunderstorms and dust storms forced a landing at Rutbah Wells, where she dined and bathed. TRIBUTES IN PRESS. Mrs Batten has been so deluged by congratulations and inquiries that she has departed for a few days’ rest. She was delighted to receive her daughter’s cable announcing her arrival. The Daily Mail in a leader couples the Empire Day. celebrations with congratulations to Miss Batten. It urges young men and women to emulate her boldness. The Star in an editorial dubs Miss Batten’s flight “Jeanius.” It says: “Smiling through has been the girl’s philosophy since she sold a piano in order to take flying lessons. Her third attempt was a triumph of determination. over experience.” AIR MINISTER’S CONGRATULATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) Received May 24, 10.45 a.m. RUGBY, May 23. Among the many messages of congratulation sent to Miss Batten .on her successful England-Australia solo flight was one from the Air Minister (Lord Londonderry). HIGH COMMISIONER’S VISION. Received May 24, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, May 23. Sir James Parr, congratulating Miss Batten on her courage and pertinacity, says her achievement brings nearer a commercial service to New Zealand in eight days. HER FATHER PLEASED. “TENACITY OF PURPOSE.” Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 23. “Jean certainly has tenacity of purpose if nothing else, and Mie will deny herself in all ways to achieve her purpose,” said Mr Batten to-night. “Of course I am very, pleasml sho has reached her objective. I have always had every confidence in her. The only things I was afraid of were the weather and whether the machine would stand up to the trials put upon it. I think it was rather plucky of her to go back to England and make a fresh start after she crashed in Italy. I have an idea it may be not unfounded that the suggestion that the machine had to be returned to England for repairs was a little piece of camouflage to cover up the fact that she wanted to start off the scratch mark again. That seems to me to be 1 Th/-Mayor of Auckland (Mr G. W. Hutchison) said to-night that Auckland was proud of Jean Batten’s achievement. The Auckland branch of the Na-

tional Council of Women sent her a cablegram of congratulation on behalf of the women of Auckland. LORD BLEDISLOE’S MESSAGE. “NEW ZEALAND IS PROUD.” Per Press Association. AUCKLAND. May 24. The Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, has sent the following message to Miss Jean Batten: “Accept my warmest congratulations on your highly successful flight. New Zealand is proud of your notable achievement. — Bledisloe, Governor-General.” REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE. MRS AMY MOLLISON’S FLIGHT RECALLED. It is a remarkable coincidence that exactly four years ago to-day, Empire Day, Miss Amy Johnson (now Mrs J. A. Mollison) reached Port Darwin at the end of her flight from England to Australia. Miss Jean Batten landed there yesterday, her arrival practically coinciding with the anniversary of the first woman pilot’s arrival in Australia on a solo flight. MISS BATTEN’S CAREER, Miss Batten is the daughter of Mr F. H. Batten, dentist, of Auckland. She was bom at Rotorua, and was educated at the Diocesan High School in Auckland, and at Miss Moore-Jones’s College, Remuera. She learned to flv with the London Aeroplane Club in 1930, and took an engineering course at the De Haviland school of flying in the following year. Her A license was endorsed for passenger-carrying at Auckland about 21 years ago, and she now holds _ a B or Commercial Pilots’ ticket. Miss Batten is 24 years of age, small and graceful, and is a fine pianist and dancer. Her brother, Mr John Batten, appeared in the British film, “Under the Greenwood Tree.”

Her first attempt to fly to Australia was made in April, 1933, but the flight ended when she ran out of fuel three miles from Karachi and had to make her landing downwind on a winding road. A few days previously she had had to land in a sandstorm in Baluchistan and rode 27 miles on camelback in the moonlight, escorted by wild tribesmen, her machine having been damaged. On her second attempt last month her machine was wrecked a few miles from Rome when she ran out of fuel and had to make a night landing in a field surrounded by power lines and wireless aerials. Her successful flight is her third attempt, and although the cablegram does not state the actual time of the. flight, it is clear that she is four days inside that of Mrs J. A. Mollison. THE BIG RACE. A WOMAN ENTRANT. KANSAS CITY, May 22. Mrs Louise Thaden, holder of several world’s aviation records for women, has announced that she will enter the Macßobertson race with an aeroplane of special design. She will be accompanied by her busband, Herbert Thaden, as co-pilot. DUTCH COMPETITORS. FOUR MORE ’PLANES. Received 'May 24, 11.55 a.m. LONDON, May 23. Two officials of the K.L.M. Line flew from Holland this morning and entered four machines in the centenary air race, one for the speed race, and three Foltkers, two of which may he reserved for carrying, in addition to the crew, up to 16 passengers in the handicap race.