AVIATORS IS NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3029, 3 April 1912, Page 60

AVIATORS IS NEW ZEALAND.

TWO ARRIVALS FROM AMERICA. PROJECTED FLIGHT ACROSS COOK STRAIT. tfcitOll OliK L)\\ii OUKKEarONDi.XT.I WELLINGTON, March 31. The first honours in aviation so far as this Dominion is concerned will be claimed by Messrs J. A. Walsh and Alfred R. vershuren, professional aviators from America, who arrived by the Aorangj on Saturday, bringing- witn them a Bieriot type monoplane, with the intention of giving exhibition flights in this country as soon as they have had time to make arrangements. Mr Walsh is an old New Zealander, hailing from the Taieri. He has been in the States for the last 10 years pushing inventions of his own, one of the most notable of which is an electric wire strainer. For the last few years he has devoted himself to the study and practice of aviation, with headquarters at New York, where he has been designing and superintending the manufacture of aeroplanes. The art of flying has been so popularised in America that according to Mr Walsh it has almost lost its novelty. Aviation carnivals are held in different places all over the country, and considerable inducements are offered to aviators by the promoters of State and country fairs and exhibitions to fly before the public. There is therefore a good deal of money in flying in America, and the professional aviator does well. It has been Mr Walsh's idea for the last couple of years to try New Zealand as a fair field for the flying man, and he and Mr Vershuren are the first in that field When the public are educated to the possibilities of flight by actually witnessing aeroplanes in the air, he considers that New Zealanders will take up flying with' enthusiasm, just as they do in America. Then he thinks the Government should be interested in aviation as an essential part of every defence scheme nowadays. The example of the Federal Government in Australia was quoted. Altogether, Mr Walsh thinks New Zealand one of the best places for aviation in the world. The machine has already carried the flying men through the air in America, and Mr Vershuren himself lias executed many flights. The motor is a Roberts 50 h.p. four-cylinder engine of the car type, water cooled, weighing about 1701 b. The propeller is about Bft in diameter. It is the intention of the aviators to exhibit the machine in town as soon as they can get a convenient stand. It will then be tuned up, and the first big flight to be attempted will be across Cook Strait, probably to Blenheim, on a day like Saturday. Mr Vershuren, who will pilot the monoplane, says it would be easy provided there was suitable landing ground across the water. The machine is capable of a speed of 65 miles an hour, and could get across to the South Island easily under the hour. The start might be made from Miramar. At present there is some difficulty about the Customs duty, as it was expected that the machine might be landed free, but it is not thought the Customs authorities will put any serious obstacle in the wav of landing the first flying machine to be imported into New Zealand. The tariff apparently does not make any provision for flying machines. The public will no doubt be interested to know that the first full-fledged flying machine seen here is built up of the late John B. Moisant's aeroplane, which fell at New Orleans, through the fainting of the aviator in mid-flight.