WARM WELCOME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19835, 26 June 1934, Page 14

WARM WELCOME

MISS JEAN BATTEN’S RETURN AMBITION ACHIEVED By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND. June 25. New Zealand’s most distinguished aviatrix, Miss Jean Batten, made a triumphant return to her homeland to-day. The liner Aorangi, by which she came, arrived soon after daylight, but it was met out in the Hauraki Gulf by a welcoming aeroplane, which was presently joined by another. Owing to the earliness of the arrival, and the mistiness of the morning, there was not a large crowd on the wharf when the ship berthed, but there were plenty of signs of a desire to honour Miss Batten, in recognition of her great achievement. All ships in port were dressed for the occasion; the ferries hooted a welcome, and on the wharf a band played, and a group of women, former pupils of the Remuera Ladies’ College, cheered lustily. The first to greet Miss Batten were her father, Mr P. H. Batten and her brother. They were closely followed by Mr D. Ardell, representing the Government, and by a group of Miss Batten’s former schoolmates, who garlanded her with violets, and greeted her enthusiastically. Then for over half an hour she placed herself at the disposal of the Press and cinema photographers. Obviously delighted by the reception, but calm, unaffected and gracious, she won everyone’s admiration. In between the continual calls for her attention, she remarked that she had experienced as great a thrill on seeing the coast of New Zealand as on sighting the coast of Australia, although the circumstances were vastly different. She spoke enthusiastically of her welcome in Australia, and of Lord Wakefield’s help. Later she was driven to the hotel in a motor car, which flew the New Zealand ensign, and in which she sat almost hidden by bouquets. Miss Batten’s plane, in which she flew to Australia, also arrived by the Aorangi. She brought with her the kitten mascot, which was given to her by the returned soldiers in hospital, in Sydney. It has already done 18 hours’ flying. Amongst those who welcomed Miss Batten on the ship were representatives of the National Council of Women. Movements Uncertain. She told interviewers that she had only been engaged three months to Captain E. E. Walker, the London stockbroker, and owing to the uncertainty of her programme, she was unable to give even an approximate date of the wedding. She remarked that none of the male members of her family had regarded her flying very kindly, being anxious for her safety. Her mother, who would arrive in New Zealand next month, had been her inspiration. Her mother was her first passenger, when she qualified at Mangere. She recounts incidents of her three flights, remarking that after she returned to London from Rome, she had lost some of her enthusiasm, but none of her determination. “I want to say how glad I am to be back in my home town, and to have achieved by ambition. From the beginning my hope was to bring my plane from England to New Zealand, and now I am here. As the range of the 'plane is only 800 miles, I was unable to complete the last lap by air, but I have brought my plane with me, now that I have reached my journey’s end, I am more than pleased.” Miss Batten will leave for Wellington by train to-morrow, to be the guest of the Governor-General, and Lady Bledisloe, for several days. Later she will return to Auckland for several weeks. She expects to remain in New Zealand for some months. She denied the report that she might, take part in the Melbourne air race, saying that her machine was not second-hand, but fifth-hand, and quite unsuitable. She hoped to be in Melbourne to see the finish of the race.