NEW YORK GREETS KINGSFORD-SMITH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19107, 27 June 1930, Page 9

NEW YORK GREETS KINGSFORD-SMITH.

DEAFENED FLYERS COULD NOT UNDERSTAND SPEECH (Continued from Page 1). (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received June 27, 2.30 p.m.) ROOSEVELT FIELD, June 26. Though he had flown 1100 miles today, Squadron-Leader Kingsford-Smith treated the crowd, which was waiting to acclaim him, to a spectacular exhibiton of vertical flying before bringing his 'plane to a perfect three-point landing directly before the throngs, which were massed behind a high wire fence. The navigator was the first to step out of the fuselage. He was carrying a despatch case containing his navigation papers. He was at once swallowed up by a mob of men and women. Someone thrust a huge basket of magnificent roses into his hand, which he promptly disposed of by hanging them on a projection behind a motor-car. Then Kingsford-Smith, pulling off his cap and showing his face, sunbrowned and lean, climbed out and sprung down. He was in a fur-lined flying suit, with a fur collar, and heavy boots. Here it is sweltering hot. The crowds swallowed him up.

After the police had tugged and run their motor-cycles through the jam, it was possible for the official party of welcome to meet the two flyers at 7.40 pjn. Then the city of New York’s official representatives were given a chance to shake the aviators' hands. After this Mr Stannage and the assistant pilot were induced to climb down from the fuselage. The party was then rushed to the reception pavilion, where newspapermen fired questions at the four deaf men. It was some minutes before the flyers could understand human speech. A crowd of about 5000 followed the flyers as they were being led from the fhachine and surrounded the pavilion, which, fortunately, was protected on two sides by a stout metal fence. The police cleared the doorway and a line of automobiles to carry the party the twenty miles to New York city was drawn up in front of the door, with the police striving to keep the lane open. The Southern Cross, which looked dean and unmarred after the strenuous trip, was hitched to a tractor and towed into a hangar. A large ground crew kept souvenir-hunters off. Owing to the late arrival of the Southern Cross all the plans for a reception by the Mayor in New York city were cancelled. The flyers will go immediately to the Hotel Roosevelt at New York to rest. To-morrow they will go in their street dothes to the City Hall in the forenoon for a civic reception.