KINGSFORD SMITH’S VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1933, Page 7

KINGSFORD SMITH’S VISIT

PREPARATION OF ITINERARY.

BROTHER’S NORTH ISLAND TOUR.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, January 2.

Having motored nearly 1300 miles in a week in preparation for the tour of his brother, Mr. Wilford Kingsford Smith returned to Wellington to-day accompanied by Mr. B. Shiel, aviation officer of the Vacuum Oil Company, and Mr. A. W. Nisbet, secretary to the Wellington Aero Club. He has toured the North Island preparing and inspecting landing grounds and conferring with aero clubs and officials of public bodies in connection with the visit of the Southern Cross.

The party, visited 75 towns. Definite arrangements for a visit were made at New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Auckland, Napier and Hastings. Mr. Smith stated that he had been able to locate suitable paddocks at Hamilton and Rotorua, and sand at Waihi and Taurahga. There are also landing grounds at Dannevirke and Masterton which will be suitable when slight additions are made. He regretted that at Te Kuiti, Te Awamutu and Thames he had been unable to find suitable landing areas, although a careful search had been made.

The South Island will not be visited by Mr. Smith prior to the arrival of the Southern Cross, but reports are to hand that landing grounds are all quite satisfactory, and the balance of arrangements can be made by correspondence. Mr. Smith said that the itinerary of the tour will shortly be published, giving the dates of arrival at each town. He complimented the aero club movement upon the work being done in preparing grounds for the arrival of the huge monoplane.