The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1932. A DAY’S JOURNEY

Southland Times, Issue 21911, 12 January 1933, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1932. A DAY’S JOURNEY

It says a great deal for the progress of aviation that the safe arrival in New Zealand of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was almost taken for granted. Such a high opinion is held of his courage and skill and so thorough are his preparations that a mishap to the Southern Cross would have occasioned far more surprise than its impeccable behaviour over the twelve hundred miles of ocean separating Australia from New Zealand. The confidence of the public in the success of the venture has not, however, depreciated the merit of the achievement; nor has it lessened the heartiness of the congratulations that have been bestowed upon the world’s greatest airman. It is both natural and just that people should extol men who accomplish such feats, for it is through their intrepidity, initiative and imagination that aviation has made such an advance. Critics are prone to decry the time and money spent on trans-oceanic flights, but such attempts as Kingsford Smith and men of his type make are far removed from mere “stunts.” They are of definite practical value and it is refreshing to see so much enthusiasm displayed towards those who confidently and courageously undertake pioneer flights to demonstrate that safety in the air is largely a matter of proper ground organization and the maintenance of airworthy flying equipment; and who confirm the view that when there is an aeroplane accident the fault is almost invariable human. It has,

however, to be realized that only an aviator with sound nervous stability can withstand the fatigue of flying for any great length of time. Herein lies the secret of much of Kingsford Smith's success.

It is four years ago almost to the day since Lieut. Moncrieff and Captain Hood made the first attempt to conquer the Tasman. Their tragic failure, due not to lack of courage but to lack of preparation, will be fresh in the minds of most New Zealanders who for several days cherished the hope that news would be received of the missing airman. Nine months later, on September 10, 1928, Kingsford Smith accomplished the feat under trying conditions and made a successful return. flight in October. On January 7, 1931, a young Sydney pilot, Guy Menzies, landed like a bolt from the blue in a swamp near Hokitika, after the first solo flight over the Tasman made in the record time of twelve hours. In the same year Captain Chichester in leisurely stages flew from the North Cape to Jervis Bay. Save for these attempts the Tasman has been given a wide berth by aviators, possibly because of its comparative isolation, possibly because of its evil reputation, though in his remarks made at New Plymouth last evening Kingsford Smith belittled its terrors. In one respect at least the most recent flight is of considerable importance. In the pioneer journey the Southern Cross, though fully equipped with wireless, was not able to maintain communication with Australia and New Zealand, but yesterday messages were exchanged throughout the journey. It may still be argued that before the aeroplane can be used as the vehicle for a regular transtasman service and can be accepted as a commercial possibility it must be able to maintain its time-table in all weathers. Kingsford Smith may not have surmounted this difficulty, but he and other famous airmen have at least brought regular air services between England and South Africa and England and Australia almost to the point of realization. This improvement of inter-imper-ial communication is binding together the units of Empire by removing one of the chief obstacles to closer co-operation—-the vast intervening distances. More co-operation between Australia and New Zealand is badly needed and the aeroplane may ere long play a very valuable part in bringing this about. In the midst of Kingsford Smith’s triumph there is one cause for deep concern—the absence of news from his gallant fellow-Australian, SquadronLeader Hinkler, whose record ranks second only to “Smithy’s.” He has to his credit the piloting of the winning Schneider trophy machine in 1925, and many notable solo flights. The Segrave trophy, won for the first time by Kingsford Smith in 1930, was in 1931 awarded to Hinkler. It will be sad indeed if his indomitable, adventurous spirit is for ever quelled by disaster to his machine on the first stage of his Australian flight.