STORY OF FOURTH CROSSING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19451, 28 March 1933, Page 7

STORY OF FOURTH CROSSING

RECORD OF SOUTHERN CROSS

KINGSFORD SMITH’S PLAN 1 FOR FUTURE United Press Association— By Electric Tel egrapn—Copyright SYDNEY, March 27. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith states that the return flight was harder than the outward one, though it Was shorter. “I am becoming so familiar with crossing the Tasman, that I plan to fly back to New Zealand next year to visit the towns I had to overlook this time,” he said. “The people are remarkably hospitable.” Sir Charles Kingsford Smith added: “There was a following surface wind, and to take advantage of this we flew close to the water. It was a decent trip all the way, except for the last 50 or 100 miles, where it was nasty flying and the visibility was very bad.” Relerring to the landing, Sir Charles j Kingsford Smith explained that the i crowd which surrounded him made it i impossible to taxi the Southern Cross to the Club house. “We were completely surrounded, and I marvel that someone was not hit by the propellors. As it was, they punched holes in the old i bus.” j In a broadcast review of the flight, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith said the beach for the take-off was perfect. The visit to New Zealand had been a financial success, and it Was evident that the future of aviation in New Zealand Was secure. The remainder of the crew stepped from the plane as fresh as though they had been for a short pleasure trip. Mr Stannage was enthusiastic about the two way communication he maintained most of the time with three passenger ships, the Wanganella, Monowai and Marama, which, incidentally, they did not see. I A passenger, Ml- M&Ckay, said: “My outstanding impression of the flight is that there is not a semblance of monotony. I was a wee bit disappointed, however, when Sydney passed under our wheels. I had expected the motors to splutter or the radio to jam during the long journey, but no, the giant bird flew smoothly.”

AIR DEFENCE FOR N.Z. VIEWS OF SIR . CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH. ENDORSED IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, March 27. Agreement with the statements made at New Plymouth by Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith concerning the need for New Zealand’s building up an adequate Air Force was expressed to-day by Christchurch men interested in flying. The only bar to the development of such a force to-day, they recognised, was lack of finance. In contending that an adequate AilForce was particularly essential for the Dominion if it were to be properly defended, Sir Charles said that it was the Navy and the Air Force upon whom the first responsibility would fall. Aircraft would kill the element of surprise in any attack; aircraft were more mobile and easier to concentrate than any other land defensive forces; landbase aircraft had a longer range, and were less vulnerable than those with a sea base; and a land-perate air force, all things being equal, would always beat a seaborne one.

“We all realise that we should have a much more efficient Air Force in New Zealand,” said Mr J. C. Mercer, instructor to the Canterbury Aero Club. “We also need much more up-to-date aircraft, but on top of that we must realise that we must also provide landing-grounds and airdromes all over New Zealand, even in remote places. So far the various aero clubs, with the help of the Defence Department, have organised landing grounds, but the fact remains that there are plenty more bases that should be built in various part of both the North and the South Islands.

“When I have been flying over the back-country I have often thought it would be an excellent idea to have airdromes hidden in those areas, so that we should be prepared for any invasion by air.

“There are dozens of places in both Islands where good airdromes could be made out of what we would now call rough country. The flat land is there, but it would have to be cleared. The day is not far distant when we shall be called upon to have such bases, and it would be a good idea now to get the unemployed at work on preparing them.

"For defence. New Zealand, situated as she is, is dependent on the Air Force, and if we are to have an adequate force we must have the landinggrounds. There must not be emergency grounds, either, but should be able to take a scout machine, or occupy an

area of 150 acres. After all. a scout machine does not need an enormous amount of petrol for a long journey. “It will be essential for us to have machines with a fairly long range for reconnaissance purposes. They should be able to do a patrol of eight hours. We must also have fast single-seater scout machines. If these latter were tucked away in the mountains, they would be a good means of defence, as the forts are in our various hftrbourß. “A lot of money would be involved in this development, but the expenditure

is necessary if New Zealand is to have an adequate force instead of the present insufficient one. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith has shown that a big machine can cross, the Tasman in 12 hours. There is nothing to stop big troop-carrying ’planes’ from doing the same thing, and we must have a force to attack them.”

Mr P. R. Climie, secretary to the Canterbury Aero Club, said that he had not been able to give the fullest consideration to Sir Charles’s statements, but he agreed in the main with them. However, under present conditions, the whole question resolved itself into one of finance. If a force were developed, the expenditure would be recurring, as an airplane soon became obsolete and had to be replaced. It is understood that Sir Charles’s contentions will be considered at the next executive meeting of the Canterbury Aero Club, as a result of a minute on the subject from the Wanganui Development League. Colonel the Hon. G. J. Smith. M.L.C.. has had a long career in military affairs, and has been a keen student of all modern developments. He agrees with “Smithy.”

“I agree that the increase of the Air Force in New Zealand is imperatively necessary,” he said. "It' is necessary so that we may have some sense of security, but I am afraid that in the present position it will be difficult for Cabinet to provide the necessary finance. “I do not urge a large expenditure, at present, but I do say that there is a serious responsibility resting on the Government to see that a fair amount is allocated for defence purposes in New Zealand. The Defence Department has been the one department that has been cut to the bone. I think the economies there have gone too far, though a rearrangement of the personnel and duties was certainly necessary. “We have at the present time the nucleus of a very efficient Air Force, and every endeavour should be made to strengthen it and to encourage the personnel in its work."