THE CORONATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22740, 28 May 1937, Page 10

THE CORONATION

PICTURES BY AIR JOURNALISTIC ENTERPRISE EXPECTED ARRIVAL TO-DAY JOURNEY ACROSS THE WORLD Through the miracle of speed repre. sonted by modern air transport, the Herald hopes to be, able to publish tomorrow the first direct photographs to be brought to New Zealand of. the Coronation ceremonies in London. The publication - will mark the conclusion of a journalistic enterprise involving* the employment of some of the fastest transport aeroplanes in the ' world and the frequent amending of plans to overcome delays by bad weather. As a result a pictorial record of the .Coronation should be published in the Hkrai.d only 17 days after the actual celebrations.

The arrangements for bringing photographs and cinematograph films of the Coronation to Australia' and New Zealand were made by the Sydney Morning Herald, in co-operation with the proprietors of the New Zealand Herald and The Weekly News. The photographs, which cover every phase of the Coronation ceremonies, were taken in London by a special staff of photographers engaged there and elaborate plans were laid for their transport to the other end of the world. , Delay Due to. Weather The original intention was to despatch a fast aeroplane from London on the night of May 12, at the conclusion of the Coronation ceremonies, to carry the pictures and films to Athens, 1 wher» they were to be transferred to a Dutch air-liner. It was impossible for the flight from London to Athens to be made in time and the pictures were accordingly diverted to Amsterdam where, on May 14, they wers' handed to the pilot of another Dutch air-liner which was leaving for Singapore that day.

Meanwhile, a Percival Gull machine had been chartered in Sydney to fly to Singapore aiid take delivery of the pictures there. Captain P. G. Taylor, companion of the late Sir Charles: Kingsford Smith on some of hb most famous flights, was engaged as pilot and the plan was that he should'meet the Dutch air-liner at Singapore' on May 19. As a result of monsoon weather Captain Taylor was delayed on his journey, but eventually reached Batavia. However, at that stage it was apparent that he could not reach Singapore in time to connect with the Dutch air-liner, and another Dutch machine, with a speed of 200 miles an hour, was chartered to bring the pictures on from Singapore to Keeping. Continuation ot Flight From Batavia Captain Taylor returned to Koepang in his Percival Gull, arriving' there on the morning of May 20. A few hours later the Dutch machine arrived, ..the pictures were handed over, and the speedy little monoplane- left for Australia.. She arrived at Wvndham that aftercoon.

The photographs for the HebAid and The YV eekly News, together with prints of cinematograph films sent to lox I< ilms in New Zealand, were placed on board the Maunganui, which is due at "Wellington from Sydney this morning. In association with Fox Films and Amalgamated Theatres, Limited, the proprietors of the Herald have arranged for the pictures to be brought by aeroplane from Wellington to Auckland to-day, and it is hoped they will arrive in time for publication in to-morrow morning's issue. A larger selection of the pictures will appear in The "Weekly News nest week.

Arrangements have also been macto whereby there will be a sufficient number of copies of the cinematograph films for distribution throughout New Zealand by air. TJiese will be released by Fox Films through tie Amalgamated Theatres circuit.