THE PACIFIC FLIGHT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 284, 29 October 1934, Page 7

THE PACIFIC FLIGHT.

KINGSFORD SMITH RESUMES.

Received October 29, 8.40 a.m

SUVA, Oct. 29. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith left Naselai at 6.5 a.m. for Honolulu. He was 202 miles from Suva at 9.45 (Honolulu time). He reports he is climbing slowly and is now at 3500 feet. All is well.

Sir Charles spent Sunday morning preparing to resume the flight to Honolulu. He had spent the previous night at the native capital, Bau, as the guest of Ratu Pope Cakabou, the paramount chief of Fiji, and grandson -of Cakabou, the last King of Fiji. The engineer was busy giving the aeroplane the final overhaul.

Sir Charles showed signs of the strain of waiting for the take-off. He was not cheerful when he landed on Wednesday. He remarked: The job has got to be done. I am anxious to get off this afternoon.

He left the camp unaccompanied for a walk. Captain P. G. Taylor was confident and cheerful. He said he anticipated no difficulties.

The airmen planned to fly over the island of Tariuni Futuna, hoping to sight the Phoenix group, which is lowlying and might be difficult to siglit. If it is sighted it gives a new departure point and makes Honolulu a bigger target. It is anticipated the Fiji-Honolulu trip will take 22 hours. They will then leave for Los Angeles. The first five hours will be spent flying low owing to the heavy load. Afterwards they can climb to 15,000 feet if necessary. A load of 510 gallons was taken, Sir Charles sitting on twenty gallons as a final reserve. _ At midnight weather reports arrived by messenger and Sir Charles was awakened. He said they were very satisfactory. It was calm everywhere and the weather was fine, with a favourable wind. The machine warmed up at 6.10 and the plane moved off up the beach, running 1000 yards before it rose slowly under the heavy load. Climbing gradually it was lost to sight in the grey cloud over the sea.