AIR PIONEERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15223, 22 May 1920, Page 6

AIR PIONEERS.

AFRICAN FLIERS PRAISED. "DOGGED PERTINACITY." LONDON May 7.*-Prince Albert, &«' Marquis of Londonderry (Finance Member of the Air Ministry), Lord Morris, Sir 1 George Halsev ; Perley (High Commissioner for Canada), Sir Thomas Mackenzie (High Cqmim<MH Q ne.r for N.Z.), and Mr Blaiikenburg (secretary to the High Commissioner for §outh Africa) were present at a luncheon given by the Imperial Air Fleet gommittee at the Connaughfc Rooms, under the presidency of Lord Desborough, m honor of Colonel van Ryne Veldt and ' Uptajn Srand, the pioneers of the Lon- 1 _ don to the Cape flight. {■ Responding to the loyal toast, Prince Albert congratulated Colonel Van Ryne 1 Veldt and Captain Brand, who had done 80 much to add lustre to tho name of South Africa m particular, and the British Empire m general. (Cheers.) ' "Their dogged pertinacity, courage, and wonderful spirit is well worthy ©f the traditions of British exploratfw," he said, amid more cheers. ; The Marquis of Londonderry m his, speech emphasised that the service he re* presented waß a struggling service, but had by its side great sister services based on tradition, whoso exploits existed m history for hundreds of years, while the achievements of the air service dated only from the present century. But aerial navigation, with its immense possibilities and colossal potentialities, required all their assistance, energy, and sympathy to haßten the advent of its immense future. He asked his hearers to do what they could In all parts of the world to show to a doubting public exactly whit could bo achieved by the novel metlhod of .transit and transport.