AVIATION IN NEW ZEALAND.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13380, 1 April 1912, Page 4

AVIATION IN NEW ZEALAND.

ARRIVAL OF AMERICAN AIRMEN

PROJECTED FLIGHT ACROSS THE

STRAIT

The "Evening Post" chronicles the arrival of the Aorangi on Saturday of two American professional aviators, Messrs. J. JD. Walsh and Alfred M. Yurslmren, who have brought with them a, Bleriot typo monoplane*, with 1 ho intention of giving exhibition flights in. this country as soon as they have had time to make arrangements.

Remarking that with tho exception of brief long hops from the ground by home-made machines, thero has been no flying at all worthy tho name in New Zealand, the "Post" says it could not be expected that this state of, affairs could last much longer, as it has been known that several aviators have, had their eyes on New Zealand for some little time past. Hammond, who was» hero last year on a visit to his people, declared, when he left for tho Old Country in December last, he would return with a machine somewhere about the middle: of this year. It wag even stated quite recently tthat he was under engagement to a firm of Australian impresarios to appear hero at no distant date. He is now said to bo in China building flying machines for tho new republic. But he has boon forestalled, and .so have the other aspirants for the first honours in New Zealand.

Mr Walsh is an old Now Zealandcr, hailing from the Taieri. He* has been iv the States for the last ten years pushing inventions of his own, one or tho most- notable of which is an electric wire strainer. For tho last few years he has demoted himself to the study and practice of aviation, with headquarters at New York, where he has been designing and superintending' tho manufacture of aeropianeß. It has been Mr. Walsh's idea for the last^-coupl© of yeans to try New Zealand a-s^'a fair field for the flying man, and he, with'Mr. yershuren, are the fir&b in that field. When public are educated to the possibilities of flight by actually witnessing aeroplanes in the air, he considers that New Zealanders will take up flying, with enthusiasm,, just as they do in America. Then he thinks the Government should be interested in aviation, aa ah essential, part of every defence scheme nowadays. The example of the Federal Government in Australia was quoted. Altogether, Mr. Walsh thinks New Zealand ono of the best place© for aviation in tho world. ■ .

The machine has already carried the flying men through th© air in America. Mr. Vershuren himself has oxecutod many flights. The motor is #, Roberts' 50-h.p., iour-cylindor engine of the car typo, water-cooled, weighing about 17(j pounds. The propeller is about Bft in diameter. It is the intcrction_ of the aviators to exhibit the machine in Wellington as soon as they can get a convenient stand. It will then be tuned up and the first big flight to be attempted will bo across Cook Strait. The machine is capable of a speed of sixty-five miles an hour, and could-get across to the South Island easily under the hour. The start might bo made from Miramax.

At, present there is some difficult about tho Customs duty, as it waso>x~ pected the machine might bo landed free, but it is not thought tho Cus-tom-o authorities will T>ut any sorioufS obstacle in the way of landing tlie first Hying machine to lx> impoi-ted into New Zealand. Tho tariff, apparently does not mako any provision for flying machines. -Tho "Post" etaW that the first full-fledged flying machine sc<"n in Wellington is built up of the late John B. Moisaut's. monoplane, whic.h fell at Now Orloiins through the fainting of the aviator in mid-flight.