“ BORN AN OPTIMIST ” SAYS OSCAR GARDEN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19239, 28 November 1930, Page 14

“ BORN AN OPTIMIST ” SAYS OSCAR GARDEN

NEW ZEALAND AIRMAN GUEST AT LUNCHEON. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, November 27. Admitting that he was not too much of an optimist when he set out on his flight, Mr Oscar Garden addressed the Optimists’ Club, where he was the guest of honour at luncheon. “ I must have been born an optimist,” said the aviator, acknowledging the reception which had been given him. “In the first place, I was very optimistic in hoping to fly to Australia, to say nothing of New Zealand, before I had learned to pilot an aeroplane, but my instructor was not quite so optimistic as I was, judging by some of his remarks when I made a dud landing.” He thought that the company which had laid down his supplies on the route had been optimistic. “ I am glad to say that optimism and kia ora brought me through 0.K.,” he concluded. Captain F. W. Haig recalled the early days of aviation, pointing out that anyone who went up was not expected to get down safely. Time was, he said, when an aeroplane was looked upon as a mystery, like electricity and income tax, something which science did not know very much about; but by-and-by they had learned that pilots were quite ordinary fellows, as they could see by looking at Oscar and himself. “ A nation’s progress is judged by its means of communication and transport, and to keep up the prestige erf the British nation we must go ahead with our aviation development,” he said. Referring to the Aero Club movement Captain Haig remarked that the instructor held a very important position. He had a definite influence in building the character of the young people.