MR. BUTLER’S STORY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17640, 2 December 1931, Page 11

MR. BUTLER’S STORY

“JUST SAT IN THE ’PLANE” SYDNEY, Nov. 21. “The flight to Australia is not as arduous as most people think. All I did was to sit up there and look out at the landscape. That was all there was to it.” In this fashion Mr. C. A. Butler began an amusing account of his record flight to Australia to members of the Millions Club. “All Iho credit is due to the littlo machine,” he said. “It was a geographical education for rue. 1 found that Arabia is not romantic; Persia is a desolate place; and Northern India appeared to be very much like Australia.” “Were you arrested?’’ lie was asked. “I was detained—that is a more polito word—at Brindisi,” replied the airman. “The trouble was that the Prefect of Police there could read neither English nor French, and was suspicious of my papers. He was most officious. The result was that I did not reach Aleppo that day, as I had planned.” “And what about storms?”

“I encountered plenty of storms, but away up there I did not know whether they were big ones or little ones. I became part of my machine.” “I was so excited at the prospect of reaching Australia that the Timor Sea did not worry me at all.” continued Mr Butler. “I just hop'ped into the bus at Koepang and started off. I imagined I saw land many hours before land was actually ,■ aheatj."’ “How did von get on for sleep,” lie was asked.

“To fell you the truth,” lie said, “T had more sleep on the trip than I have had since 1 returned to Australia.”

Sir Arthur Pickard paid a tribute to the airman, lie said that Mr. Butler had shown the qualities or pluck, perseverance, and resourcefulness. Sir Keith Smith described the flight as a great one.

The members of the club gave three cheers for the airman.