African Aviator Attempts to Fly 16,000 Miles in 18 Days

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 419, 30 July 1928, Page 9

African Aviator Attempts to Fly 16,000 Miles in 18 Days

(United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service)

Received, noon. LONDON, Sunday. FLYTNG-OFFICER MURDOCH, of the South African Air Force, left Croydon to-day in an Avro-Avian machine to fly to Capetown and back-, 16,000 miles, in 18 days. He states that he intends to show that it is possible to fly through the rainy season in the Soudan, and that therefore a round-the-year service is feasible.

Barsi (Hungary), 2; Mueller (Germany), 3. Eighth heat: Edwards (Canada), A; Starr (Britain), 2; McEachern (Ireland), 3. High JumpVKing (United States), 6ft 6 3-Bin, 1; Hedges (United States), 6ft 3iin, 2; Menard (France), 6ft 3iin, 3. 10.000 Metres. —Nurmi (Finland), 1; Ritola (Finland), 2: Wide (Sweden), 3. Time, 30min 18 4-ssec —a new Olympic record. Nurmi won by ten yards.

FRENCH OFFICIAL HIT

TEAM TAKES UMBRAGE ABSENT FROM OPENING (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) AMSTERDAM, Sunday. An unpleasant incident marred the opening of the Olympic Games yesterday. Owing to a regrettable misunderstanding with a gatekeeper the French competitors did not march in the parade of nations at the ceremony in the stadium. The sensation this created was deepened when it was rumoured that

they were so incensed that they might refuse to compete in the games. However, the trouble was later cleared up. and the French team will compete. It was ascertained that when the French went to the stadium yesterday they were authorised to view the grounds. A gatekeeper refused them admittance. An argument followed, culminating in M. Paul Mericamp, the secretary-general of the French Olympic Federation, being struck in the face. The team then withdrew. The Dutch Olympic Committee learned of the occurrence, and apologised, and the incident was believed to be closed, especially as the team was informed that the gatekeeper would be dismissed. When the team arrived yesterday, the same gatekeeper was on duty, and the team promptly departed.