Auckland Becomes Important Air Terminus

Northern Advocate, 28 December 1937, Page 6

Auckland Becomes Important Air T erminus

Arrival Of Centaurus Links N.Z. With U.S. And Britain

(Special To “Northern Advocate”l AUCKLAND, This Day. rpHE ARRIVAL OF IMPERIAL AIRWAYS FLYING-BOAT CENTAURUS YESTERDAY, CLOSE ON THE HEELS OF PAN-AMERICAN AIRWAYS SAMOAN CLIPPER WAS AN HISTORIC DAY FOR AUCKLAND, AND,, INDEED, FOR THE WHOLE OF NEW ZEALAND.

The Clipper plane brought the Dominion within four days of the United States, while the Centaurus forged the first link of a one-day service between New Zealand and Australia, and a. direct aerial connection with Great Britain and the Continent. As befitting the importance of such an occasion, thousands swarmed the Auckland waterfront yesterday to welcome the Centaurus, which, aptly enough, was commanded by a New Zealander Captain J. W. Burgess. When the giant flying-boat landed on the Waitemata after covering the 1200 miles from Sydney at an average speed of just over 133 miles an hour, she taxied to Mechanics’ Bay, tying up to a mooring buoy about 300 yards out from the Pan-American Airways landing stage.

Captain Burgess and Ids staff then came off the Centaurus in a launch and landed at Pan-American Airways landing stage. They pioceeded immediately to the special enclosure to hear addresses of welcome fiom the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, the Hon. T. Bloodworth, M.L.C., the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, and the chairman of the Union Steam Ship Company, Limited, Mr N. S. Falla. -

Mr Bloodworth’s Welcome,

“It is my pleasant duty today, on behalf of the Auckland. Harbour Board, to welcome you, your crew and your ship to this port,” said the Hon. T. Bloodworth, M.L.C., chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board. “We have long looked forward to the establishment of an air service direct between New Zealand and Britain, and when we learned that a trial flight was to be undertaken by Imperial Airways cur hopes were raised and our interest quickened. “You, sir, have now completed the first half of that trial flight—l do not know the distance you have travelled —but since you left Southampton on December 3 we have watched with great interest and expectation for any news of your vessel from the various places at which you called, and we are happy that you are now safely here. “You have not been engaged in record-breaking on the flight for either speed or endurance, but one record you have established and will for ever be yours, namely, that you are the first seaplane to make the flight from England to New Zealand, and I think you are the first seaplane to cross the Tasman.

on the waters of the Waitemata. wi are brought within only a few hours distance of Australia, a very few day. from Britain, and on the other hand, only a few days from the Pacific coas. of the great American Continent. “With these few words, Captain Burgess, I bid you and your companions a very hearty welcome to the port of Auckland.” Mayor's Congratulations, .

The Mayox*, Sir Ernest Davis, congratulated Captain Burgess on his magnificent flight. No doubt throughout he had had the co-operation of 'every member of the ship’s company. At this stage, however, he would not allow the opportunity to pass of striking a note of welcome. “I have read and heard the particulars of your career, Captain Burgess,” saia Sir Ernest. “Your associations, family and otherwise, have tended to equip you for the responsibility which is yours.

“You have reaped the full benefit of the training and equipment you received at the hands of your revered parents. To them and to you I proffer the congratulations of the city.

“As a veteran yachtsman, I can well understand how, when you selected the sea for your career, you found that the glamour and adventure you sought were absent from the type of ship available to boys at the time. “I can appreciate, too, how, in turning to the air, you recaptured the romance and thrill and challenge to initiative and enterprise provided by the sailing ships of almost forgotten days.

Happy Circumstance

“It is indeed a happy circumstance that that record should be held by you, Captain Burgess, a New Zealander, and we are proud of the fact that. Imperial Airways should have chosen you from among their pilots to command the first seaplane to fly to your homeland. “In having that command, you join other New Zealanders who have made history in aviation, to mention only two, Miss Jean Batten, who holds the solo flight record between Britain and Australia, and also one way across the Tasman, and Mr Clouston, who recently secured the record on the South African flight. Mutual Advantages.

“May I again congratulate you and assure you that Auckland, as well as New Zealand, is today full of pride in your accomplishment.” They’ve “Done Things.”

The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, said that Captain Burgess and his crew had “done things” and he congratulated them on the great feat they had accomplished. He welcomed them to New Zealand in the name of the people of the Dominion. He would spare them a speech at the moment because he knew their troubles had just begun. They were now on land and would be on land for some days and would have a great deal to put up with until they got back to Auckland. He would content himself with again welcoming Captain Burgess to New Zealand and congratulating him on his great achievement. He also congratulated the parents of Captain Burgess. “Your father knows something of marine transport,” continued Mr Savage, “but you saw fit toleave the ship to clad an'd take to the air.” A Great Honour, Captain Burgess said that it was a great honour to have brought out the aircraft from England. He had to thank Imperial Airways, and he could not have done anything without his crew. The whole trip was well worth while to see Auckland Harbour again and to come ashore and have such a reception. The trip had been uneventful.

“It is a happy circumstance, too, that among those who welcome you here today is Captain Musick, with the crew of the Samoan Clipper and representatives of Pan-American Airways.

“We hope that this is only the first of many times when the two services will meet at the port of Auckland to the mutual advantage of the two services and this country.

“The fact that they do so meet will be another instance, not of rivalry between representatives of two great concerns and two great countries, but of co-operation between them. “They will co-operate In conquering the distances of the Pacific by air, as they have co-operated during’recent ■months in conquering by air the distances of the Atlantic, and, as we understand, regular services by seaplane are to be established across the Atlantic, so we hope a regular service will be established shortly along the route you have travelled, meeting here as you meet this time with the regular service between us and the United States, which will be inaugurated by Captain Musick and the Samoan Clipper in two days’ time. New Zealand No Longer Apart.

They left England amid snow and ice and they arrived in sunshine, and he would prefer this country to any other. On behalf of himself and the crow ho thanked one and all. Cheers were then given for Captain Burgess and his crew.

“We are, I think, of all countries tlie most distant from the great centre of world activities, and we are the last of the important countries of the world to be connected to these great centres by regular air services. “In that matter, the words of Kipling have all been true, ‘Last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite, apart.’ That we are the last to be reached by regular air services is, I think, true; that we are the loveliest, all who know New Zealand will affirm; that we are the loneliest will, perhaps, always be true, blit that we are apart will no longer be the case, when by the wonderful science of aviation, evidenced by these two vessels which now rest

Plymouth, Hawera, Wanganui and Palmerston North.

On her return to Auckland after visits to Lyttelton and Dunedin, with a possible brief call at Wellington, the flying-boat will travel back up the east- coast. Arrangements are largely dependent cn weather conditions and the decision of the commander, Captain Burgess.

The Cent’aurus leaves Auckland for Sydney in the early morning of January 10. Carries A Crew Of Six [Special To “ Northern Advocate ”1 AUCKLAND, This Day. The commander of the Centaurus, Captain J. W. Burgess, is accompanied by a crew of five. They are; Mr C. F. Elder, first officer; Mr T. J Broughton, first engineer; Mr A. Low, senior wireless operator; Mr H. Dangerfield, wireless operator; Mr H. J. Bingham, steward.