TASMAN FLIGHT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19759, 28 March 1934, Page 10

TASMAN FLIGHT

WEATHER CAUSES A DELAY

SOUTHERN CROSS TO TAKE OFF TO-MORROW By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, March 27. The departure of the Southern Cross from the Ninety Nile Beach with a large aerial mail for Australia has been postponed for 24 hours on account of unfavourable weather reports. A decision to postpone the take off was made by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith after his arrival at Mangere aerodrome when he received weather reports from Dr. Kidson, Government Meteorologist. When the monoplane arrived from New Plymouth after a trip made rough by head winds and rain the conditions were far from promising. Sir Charles said that he would probably have adhered to his programme to take off on Wednesday morning had Dr. Kidson not advised that better conditions would probably be experienced at the end of 24 hours. "Head winds would lengthen the time of the trip to about 16 hours, and I am hoping to do it in 14 hours, possibly just over 12 if the winds aie favourable,” said Sir Charles. The bad conditions experienced on the short trip from New Plymouth had prepared him for a disappointment. A gale of 60 miles an hour was experienced at the flying altitude on parts of the journey. Sir Charles and his crew decided to remain in Auckland overnight, and to take off for the Beach to-morrow should conditions improve. The monoplane was pegged down near the hangar, which is not large enough to accommodate it.

Lady Kingsford Smith met her husband at the aerodrome and sailed for Sydney in the Wanganella. "There is just a'chance I shall be the first to see the boy,” she remarked, when Sir Charles intimated that the flight had been postponed.