MINISTER’S POSITION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 95, 21 March 1938, Page 10

MINISTER’S POSITION.

• KNEW NOTHING OF FLIGHT. Received March 21, 11.35 a.m. SYDNEY, March 21.' Not even Mr J. M. M.L.A. (Minister in , Charge of the Sesquicentenary Celehrations) knew oi Mr Clouston’s intended flight to New Zealand. . , Mr Dunningham saul last night tnat he had a long talk with Mr Clouston on Saturday, but learned nothing of the Tasman flight. Mr Clouston and Mr Ricketts landed at Kingsford Smith Aerodrome, Mascot, at 3.16 p.m. on Saturday. The flight from England to Sydney occupied 3 days 8 hours 2 minutes. Both men wore several days growtn bf beard and were obviously suffering from the prolonged strain of more than three days’ almost constant flying. Flvinsr the De Havilland Comet with which Mr C. W. A. Scott and the late Mr T Campbell Black won the Melbourne Centenary air race in 1934, Flying-Officer Arthur Ernest Clouston and Mr Victor Ricketts, a London newspaper reporter, have succeeded in their second attempt to fly to New Zealand. A New Zealander, Flying-Officer Clouston is a test pilot in the employ of the Air Ministry. He recently established new records tor. the Teturn flight between England and Capetown, accompanied by Mrs Betty KirbyGreen, and using the same aeroplane. When flown by Scott and Black the Comet was named Grosvenor House. Later it was called the Burberry, and for its present venture has been given the name of Australian Anniversary. Flying-Officer Clouston also took a prominent part in the recent Paris-Damascus air race, finishing fourth with the Comet against extremely strong foreign oompeition. Recognised as a, pilot of outstanding ability, particularly where skill and endurance have been deciding factors, Mr Clouston has trained thoroughly for his latest flight, and is reported to- be in fine physical condition. The co-pilot is also an experienced flier. Specially designed by the De Havilland Company for the Melbourne air race, the Ccmot is a small, high-speed monoplane, powered by two six-cylinder engines. It cruises at over 200 miles an hour, and has an extremely long range, making it possible for (lie fliers to land at only half-a-dozen places to refuel, in a trip halfway across the world.