HAWERA’S AIR PAGEANT

Patea Mail, Volume LI, 11 April 1930, Page 3

HAWERA’S AIR PAGEANT

A DISAPPOINTING AFFAIR,

The iirst air pageant ever held in Taranaki took place at Hawera on Wednesday, between (5000 and 7000 people attending, a largo number going from Patca. The general impression amongst the local visitors was that the pageant was, to put it mildly, somewhat on the tame side. Programmes were sold giving the times of the starting of the various events, but ns- the -first event started something like half an hour late the programmes were hopelessly out. As a matter of fact spectators had the greatest difficulty in ascertaining what event had been carried out, or was in progress. There appeared to be an entire absence of officials except those who were present for the purpose of relieving the. public of half a crown apiece to be allowed to approach the racecoiu'sc and view the. proceedings from the Racing Club ’s property. A magna vox or some such arrangement was rigged up near the grandstand, but proved quite ineffective. A notice board giving tho details of the event in progress and the results would have been appreciated, but nothing of the sort was in evidence as far as most visitors could

It is safe to assert that if anothclr pageant were held next week not a tithe of those present on Wednesday would attend. Many visitors, disappointed with the delays between the events and the general uninteresting nature of the proceedings, left the ground before the programme was completed. The following were the results of the competitive events;—

Landing: Captain McGregor 1, Flight Liojufc, Buckley 2, Five competed. Balloon Bursting: Flying Officer Keith 1. Five competed. Bombing: Pilot Officier Buekeridge 1, Captain Mercer 2. Four competed. Egmont Air Cup, six miles: First heat, Captain McGregor 1, Captain Mercer 2, Miss Bennett 3. The only starters. Second heat. Captain Stedman 1, F. Ti. Dix 2, Flying Officer Keith 3. Also started. Miss Clifford. Third heat, Flight Lieut. Buckley 1, Captain Wallingford 2, Pilot Officer Buekeridge 3. The only starters. Final, Captain McGneigor 1, Flight Lieut. Buckley 2, Captain Stcdman 3.