NORTH CAPE TO BLUFF

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 424, 2 December 1933, Page 6

NORTH CAPE TO BLUFF

NEW ZEALAND AVIATION RECORD Mr. E. F. Harvie's Flight CONDITIONS GENERALLY GOOD

Press Association.— Conyrlght. Invercargill, Dec. 1. An aviation record for New Zealand was established to-day by Mr. I F. Harvie, a member of the W ;...r ■ >•■ r

ated (N. 1.) Flying Club, vvh accompanied by Miss Trevor liuiuer, Hawera and Wanganui, on a flight from North' Cape to Bluff in a Gipsy Moth aeropl .:. The distance covered on the flight totalled 1168 miles and the actual flying time was 16 hours 10 minutes. Mr. Harvie, who arrived at Invercargill at 7.57 p.m., left Kaitaia at 2 o'clock this morning for North Cape, and after circling over the lighthouse headed south on his long flight. Stops were made north of Auckland, at Auckland, Hawera, Wellington, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Dimedin and Invercargill. Conditions generally were good throughout the flight, but the fliers found it much colder coming down the South Island. The flight was the longest yet made in New Zealand in a day, the previous best being the journey by Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor from Invercargill to Auckland on November 12, 1931. Mr. Harvie said the succes of the flight was mainly due to the machine and the ground organisation. He commented on the celerity with which he was attended to at the different landing grounds. The pair were very tired on their arrival at Invercargill, but were delighted with their outstanding achievement—for Mr. Harvie the realisation of a longcherished ambition. Mr. Harvie and his passenger arrived at Rongotai at 11.40 a.m., says a Wellington message. After a brief rest they left for Christchurch. Mr. Harvie stated the flight was a pleasure trip and an attempt to make the first end-to-end flight over the Dominion. The weather had been disappointing and consequently the flying times had been slower than he expected. A brief stop was made in the Northern Wairoa district at 5 a.m. The weather became heavier towards Wellington, and particularly over Porirua Harbour and the hills nearer the city the air was very rough.*