MR. RAMSAY MACDONALD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 13

MR. RAMSAY MACDONALD

TO FLY TO LOSSIEMOUTH. LIKING FOR AIR TRAVEL. British Wireless. RUGBY. July 31. The Prime Minister. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald. will fly to morrow from Northolt, Middlesex, to his home at Lossiemouth, where he will spend part of his holiday. A service machine has been put at his disposal.

Mr. Mac Donald has since he became Prime Minister expressed a preference for travel by air. He flew from Lossiemouth to London after his recent historic meeting with the American Ambassador, Mr. C. G. Dawes, at Forres.

Mr. Mac Donald flew 500 miles in a Royal Air Force two-seater bombing machine from Lossiemouth, Morayshire, to T.ondon on Juno 20 in just over three and a-half hours' flying time, an average of about 140 miles an hour. He wore plus fours, a leather coat, a flying helmet and a parachute.

When he started at 10.30 a.m half a galo was blowing, and blocks had to be placed under the wheels to prevent the machine from blowing backwards. Mr. Mac Donald had no fears, however. "I havo great, trust in the Royal Air Force," he said. Flight-Lieutenant H. W Heslop, the pilot, flew to Catteiick Camp, Yorkshire, in two hours. After luncheon the aeroplane took off for Hendon aerodrome.

Mr. Mac Donald threw off his parachute on arrival at 4.5 p.m. and' stepped out of the aeroplane smiling broadly. He said :

Flving is easily the host form of longdistance travel. 'This is only my second flight, but I would not travel any other way if I could help it. I have been very comfortable. Some of the time I followed our course by a map, and when I was not doing that I read Hazlitt's ''Table Talk."