SMITHY LANDS THE MAIL

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1931, Page 7

SMITHY LANDS THE MAIL

AN ANZAC DAY JOURNEY

DARWIN’S WAIRM WELCOME

DESPATCH FROM SYDNEY

SECOND OUTWARD FLIGHT By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Darwin, April, 2(5. The Southern Cross left at 7.20 o’clock on Thursday morning for Koepang. A large crowd saw Commodore Kingsford Smith take off easily,, rising after a run half-way across the small aerodrome. The aeroplane was last seen over Point Charles. On the return journey the Southern Cross arrived at 2.45 yesterday afternoon, “Smithy’’ landihg perfectly. He was

warmly welcomed. The mails were transferred ceremoniously to the post office, to be loaded on a Qqantas plane. Commodore Smith was warmly welcomed by a large crowd, who regarded the arrival of the first English air mail on Aniac Day as specially significant. The mail consisted of 19 bags of ordinary packages and one bag of freight.

Kingsford Smith said that postal red tape at Koepang, where telegraphic traffic outside the usual hours was impouible without authority from gourabaya, capped delay. ' AUSTRALIA’S FIRST VENTURE. DOMINION REPRESENTATION. Rec. 9.30 p.m. Sydney, April 24. The Southern. Sun, not t-he Southern Star, which is inaugurating the Londonbound air mail, left Sydney this morning with 21,793 letters and packages freni Australian States and also 347 letters from New Zealand. Additional mail matter is being collected at Brisbane, where the aeroplane .arrived after lunch. A Qpqntas machine will carry the to Darwin. ENGLAND KEEPS THE CONTRACT. SMALL MAIL FOR SECOND FLIGHT. Rec. 5.5 p.m, London, April 25. The aeroplane City of Coventry took off into a half gale and blinding rain with the second Australian air mail consisting of only 5000 letters and freight,, including a. parcel of tools for. making gramophone records, and a consignment of condensed milk.