“ SMITHY’S ” BAD BREAK

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11981, 23 February 1932, Page 3

“ SMITHY’S ” BAD BREAK

LANDING AT CROYDON

“One of the worst breaks I ever made in my career”—Air Commo-

_dore Kingsford Smith was yarning over some of the more amusing incidents of the air mail flight—“was at Croydon, when we arrived. "A chap with a moustache came up .to me as soon as I got out of. the machine, and said, ‘Welcome to England.’ 'Thanks, old man,’ I replied. He said that some cameramen were anxious to take him shaking bands with me. ‘l’m bus'y with the mail now,’ I told him. ' ‘Make it some other time.’ He said it would 'not take a moment, so 1 said, ‘All right, give me your paw.’ "The photographers .wanted several shots, so I said, ‘I don’t mind holding vour hand, but.''J ’ pi . busy, and 1 must get along.’ So. I dropped his hand. ‘Call in and .see me one day,’ he said, and I replied, slapping him on the back, ‘All right, old bean, if I have time, but I’m pretty busy.’

“A i u.o nr h later, on the return trip, Scotty Alien and I were yarning alter the day’s flight at Calcutta.

‘‘ ‘Aye,’ Scotty said, ‘that was a bonny picture of ye shaking hands wr Ramsay MacDonald.’ 't nover saw Ramsay MacDonald,’ I said.

“ "Here’s the photograph of ye,’ Scotty- said, producing an English new-paper. ‘D'ye no ken the lacldie .ye slapped on the back at Croydon '{ I thought - at the time ye were a wee bit, familiar.’ ”