SECOND PRIZE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21940, 25 October 1934, Page 13

SECOND PRIZE

THE SPEED EVENT DUTCH PILOTS' SUCCESS STEAIN BORNE WELL KNIGHTHOODS GAINED CROWD AT THE LANDING By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 24, 7.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Oct. 24 The second prize (£1500) in the Centenary air race has been won by the Dutch pilot, Mr. K. D. Parmentier, who, accompanied only by Mr. J. J. Moll, co-pilot, landed at the Flemington racecourse to-day at 10.54 a.m. (local time). Owing to the heavy state of the ground at Albury and the small size of the racecourse on which he had landed there in the early hours of the morning Mr,' parmentier left his two extra pilots and three passengers behind. Although he is second in the speed race Sir. Parmentier, by leaving the others at Albury, prejudiced his chances of winning the handicap event, the first prize for which is £2OOO. The weight of the five people referred to, which was taken into consideration in fixing his handicap, is now forfeited as if not carried at all and the handicap is subject to revision. Another large crowd of people witl nessed Sir. Parmentier's arrival at Flemington. The giant, gleaming tnono- \ plane flashed out of the sky, swooped across the finishing line and swept away to Laverton. On landing, the Consul for the Netherlands immediately informed the two Hollanders that their Queen had conferred knighthoods upon them. The pilots, spick and span in their uniforms, were fresh and smiling—in strange contrast to the weary Scott and Black. The Dutchmen looked as if they had stepped out of a luxurious train. The Consul described the result as "a glorious second." Mr. Parmentier was immediately called to the telephone and spoke in Dutch to Holland, describing the flight and his reception. * In an interview Mr. Parmentier said the main cause of the mishap at Albury was the format on of ice on the wings at an altitude cf 12,000 feet. The wireless also was affected by the storm at Albury. This was the only anxious period in a wonder/ul trip. Everybody had helped marvellously. WINNING PILOTS KING'S CONGRATULATIONS GRACEFUL DUTCH TRIBUTE (Received October 24, 10.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Oct. 24 "We are still tired," was Mr. C. W. A. Scott's comment to-day. He and his co-pilot, Mr. T. Campbell Black, have received more than 400 congratulatory- messages, including cablegrams from the King, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Gloucester, and the chairman of the de Havilland Company. A graceful tribute was paid to Mr. Scott when the Dutch Consul, on behalf of the Royal Dutch Air Lines, owners of Mr. Parmentier's machine, presented him with a garland of flowers in recognition of his "navigation, technical frtylity and perseverance." LIKE A MIRACLE i . LESSONS OF THE RACE TASKS FOR THE FUTURE (Received October 24, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 23 The Director of Civil Aviation, Lieu-tenant-Colonel F. C. Shelmerdine, in a broadcast speech, said: "It is particularly fitting that the Centenary of Melbourne, one of the most progressive cities in the world, should be celebrated by a feat which marks the outstanding progress of aviation. The performance of Messrs. Scott and Black sounds like a miracle. We should see in it a promise of the acceleration of inter-Imperial communications. " To achieve this our most important tasks, in order to reap the fruits, are to evolve ground organisation suitable for all the year round flying and to perfect wireless and meteorological services, night flying and other facilities."