TO AUSTRALIA BY AIR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20191, 31 August 1927, Page 7

TO AUSTRALIA BY AIR.

FLIGHT ACROSS THE ' TASMAN. SEVERAL COMPETITIVE PROJECTS. (Special to Dailx Times.) AUCKLAND, August 30. It seems fairly evident that before very long the Tasman Sea, separating the Dominion from the Commonwealth of Australia, will bo crossed in aeroplane or seaplane. At present there are several rival crews in Australia and New Zealand and in other countries further away working frantically, each hoping to raise money with which to purchase an aircraft to essay that particular sea flight. ' In 1921, Mr H. J. Wilson of Auckland, first suggested such a flight and endeavoured to get a backing. Two years later the matter was placed befpre Cabinet, wbic.i approved of the flight being attemptou by Captain George Bolt, ( Mr Wilson, and a' navigator. A small subsidy was granteu bv the Government, but the full amount required could not be obtained. Since then (ho Government has decided to purchase the machine used at four-fifths of *ts cost, provided that the machine was of a service type. Negotiations are still proBy mail to-day the organiser, Mr Wil son, received a letter from Mr Eliot Davis, of Auckland, who is at present in London and has interested himself in _ the flight, stating that Mr Graliame White, one ol England’s pioneers in aviation, had the matter in hand at the London end. Mr Grahame White has been collaborating with Sir Alan Cobham. Both these famous airmen are assisting the three New Zealanders, particularly in tile matter of organisation and the selection of a machine. Lieutenant lan Keith, of Auckland, is also interested in this particular project, and two young Wellington airmen, Lieutenant Moncrieff and Lieutenant Horace Lloyd are spoken of as “ dark horses. It is reported in Auckland that they ha v ® ordered a Ryan monoplane fitted with I Wright radial engine similar to the machine used by Colonel Lindbergh on his famous New York to Paris flight It is also staled that this machine, which would do the trip quite easily given favourable weather, was on the water and would no arriving at Wellington during the next fortnight. ■ '■