KINGSFORD SMITH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 911, 4 November 1933, Page 23 (Supplement)

KINGSFORD SMITH.

Recognition of National Hero. GOVERNMENT REWARD. (Special to the “ Star.”) SYDNEY, October 26. Last Friday Ulm’s Faith in Australia aeroplane reached Derby, her first port of call in the home-land, after a flight of about six days eighteen hours from England. This flight beats Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s last record’by nearly

eleven hours; but the great airman himself was the first!to wire his hearty congratulations to the voyagers. Ulm, Allen and Taylor, who are all friends and flying mates of “ Smithy,” at once made haste to point out that their flight—the three men sharing responsibilities and relieving each other in turn —could not be compared with “ Smithy’s ” great solo effort. But all these aviators are most anxious about two matters —the proof of the value of machines designed and made in Australia, and the possibility of shortening the flying time between Australia and Europe for mail purposes. The Faith in Australia was built here, and the Percival Gull machine which Sir Charles Kingsford Smith flew was designed by Captain Edgar Percival, who was born near Richmond (N.S.W.), played his part in the Great War, and after it discovered that, like so many other famous aviators, there ■was no room for him to rise to fortune here. Weekly Service. Then, both “ Smithy ” and Ulm are convinced that a weekly air service could be established between Australia and England, and they have certainly proved their'point in a most convincing way. Yet the contract now open for an air mail from Sydney to London provides. only for a seventeen days’ service, and for the first two or three years it demands a speed of only 95 miles per hour. . Yet planes are already flying steadily at 120 miles per hour, and the average will soon be raised to 200 miles. The Dutch have already a regular eight-day air mail service between Holland and Java, and the plans they are now completing will enable them to reduce the time from eight days to four—a strange contrast to the seventeen days’ limit fixed for the BritishAustralian service. Evidently the aviati6n authorities, both in London and at Canberra, might learn a great deal from the experiences of our wonderful flying men, if only they were prepared to listen. Machine for Smith. But to return to Smithy. After reaching Sydney, exhausted as he was, he flew down to Melbourne to rejoin his family; and then his strength, so long overtaxed, appeared to give way. In Melbourne, one of his most pleasing duties was to meet Sir Macpherson Robertson, who is naturally much interested in the centennial air race for which he has offered so magnificent a prize. The details of the discussion between “ Smithy ” and the Melbourne millionaire are naturally not available, but it appears that a machine is to be provided in which “* Smithy ” may make an effort to secure ascendancy for Australia in this great contest. A timelimit of eleven days has been suggested for the London-Melbourne flight. But Kingsford Smith regards this as much too long, and his view is supported by the highest expert opinion at Home. Of course, much depends on the amount of money available for the purpose. In Four Days. “ Smithy ” and Percival appear to favour a type of machine which would average from 180 to 200 miles an hour, with a range of 2000 miles. Such a plane could reach Melbourne from England within four days, and would cost at least £sooo—possibly £IO,OOO. According to a British expert, at least three British factories could build planes averaging up to 240 miles an hour which would fly to Melbourne within sixty-four hours, for £20,000. Of course these are “ big figures,” but there is a report that plans are already arranged for a twelve-seater plane which will have a speed ranging up to 200 miles per hour, and is intended to start in 1934 on a flight to Australia, expecting to reach its goal within two and a half days. This sounds almost fabulous, but “ Smithy ” and the other great flyers of the day have made us already expect the impossible and believe the incredible. “Smithy” Resting. In the meantime, however, neither Ulm nor Kingsford Smith has been able to enjoy his triumph to the full. Ulm has been held up at Derby for some days through an unfortunate mechanical mishap; and “Smithy,” having made an attempt to complete his arrangements for opening an aeroplane factory, probably at Cockatoo Docks, has been forced to desist. On medical advice he has gone into complete retirement for a few days to recover the nervous energy on which he has drawm so freely, and so he has, in his own words, “ disappeared from civilisation ” for the time being. But the enthusiasm aroused by his last wonderful feat is happily too deep and sincere to be quelled or checked bj' his temporary absence. The Premier of West Australia has said that the neglect of “ Smithy ” is a “ national disgrace,” and Mr .Stevens, in reply to questions asked in our Parliament, assured the people of New South Wales that he is only awaiting a favourable opportunity to press “ Smithy’s ” claims for recognition and reward upon the Federal authorities. There is a movement on foot in Brisbane (“Smithy’s” home town) to secure some tangible proof of public appreciation for him,

and a public meeting is to be called in Sydney for the same purpose. But the Federal Government i 9 the natural source of rewards in such a case as this, and Mr Lyons, after having been approached and appealed to and assailed from all quarters at once during the past week, has at last responded to the public demand. The Federal Offer. It cannot be said that the proposal made by the Federal Government is altogether adequate or satisfactory. It was hoped that a permanent post as inspector of aviation or adviser on aviation could be found or invented for “ Smithy,” but Sir G. Pearce, Minister of Defence, has not received this suggestion with any cordiality, and it is now dismissed as impracticable. As a substitute, it was hoped that the Government would make the great airman a really substantial grant, which would at least free him from the humiliating alternative of “ joy-riding ” or “ barnstorming,’’ and might enable him to make headway in his chosen occupation. But after some hesitation Mr Lyons and his colleagues have decided to recommend a vote of £3OOO for “ Smithy.” This strikes most people as a rather mean and paltry recognition of Kingsford Smith’s great services to Australia. A salary of at least £3OOO a year in some permanent position has been widety advocated here. But “ Smithy ” has expressed much gratification at the good news, as this grant will enable him to start his manufacturing busi- . ness on a firm financial basis; and it must, not be forgotten that if he held an official position under the Federal Government he could not tender for the carriage of mails over the Australian section of the proposed Imperial air service. “A Farce.” This point was emphasised by Mr Lyons in his public comment on the matter. But unfortunately it is already known that though Kingsford Smith had under construction a Fokker plane to comply with the conditions of the contract, certain clauses have been introduced that will demand the construction of a heavier type of machine and will thus render him ineligible. The chairman of the Australian Air Convention declares that the competition is “ a bare-faced farce,” that no Australian-built plane can hope to get the contract, and that the conditions have been drafted so as to secure the contract for Imperial Airways. There is all the material for a big row here. But in the meantime “ Smithy ” has declared himself delighted with at least the Government grant, which will enable him to find his feet in the aviation game sooner than he had expected.