THE NEW AIR MAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21999, 4 January 1935, Page 12

THE NEW AIR MAIL

CEREMONY AT CROYDON

SIR JAMES PARR'S ILL-LUCK

[FBOIf OCR OWN correspondent]

LONDON, Dec. 15

Listeners in all parts of the Empire heard the speeches delivered prior to the send-off of the first Australian air mail. It was a pleasant formality thoroughly warranted by the occasion. The ceremony took place a little after mid-day in one of the great hangars of the Imperial Airways at Croydon. Housed within this was the air-liner Hengist, all polished silver in colour. Its rounded bow towered 15 feet above the ground. Beneath the shadow of its left wings a platform had been raised for the speakers, and for the necessary microphones. A battery of cameras was trained on the'platform, and the formal actions of the speakers were carried out with the deliberation necessary for a good photograph. Public men, no doubt, are acquiring a new sense of the dramatic in these days, for so many of them have their words and actions recorded for a vast invisible army of people. It gives them a new responsibility. People have given up the pretence of being superior to cameras and microphones. They have been beaten by these very instruments, and in their presence have to be on their best, behaviour.

The Postmaster-Genera! took lo seconds or so to stamp each Royal letter, while the cameras clicked and whirred. Sir James Parr was not fortunate in this prepared drama. He had no sooner got into his stride than an aeroplane engine, not a hundred yards away, started up at full throttle. Thoughts obviously went through tho minds of the Secretar.v of State for Air and others in authority on tho platform, but all decided that Croydon Air Port did not come under their immediate jurisdiction. If the offending aert>plane was scheduled to go at that moment then go it must. Tho High Commissioner's voice was drowned by the din, and he ceased speaking, to take up his theme again when the machine had sped on its way. A silk bag on which was worked the words "His Majesty's Mail for Australia," was an important "stage property." The letters from the Royal Family were ceremoniously handed by Lord Londonderry to the PostmasterGeneral. After he had franked them, sealed the bag and spoken his lines, he handed the bag to Sir Eric Geddes, as representing Imperial Airways and the two other companies connected with the service.

Lord Londonderry bade a formal adieu to the pilot. The ladder was disengaged from the monster aeroplane; two tractors drew it slowly out into the open; the four propellers were soon in motion; and a few minutes later the great machine rose slowly from the ground, circled and very scon was lost in the mist.