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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 148, 26 June 1934, Page 6

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JEAN BATTEN IN AUCKLAND AN ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME NOT ENTERING CENTENARY RACE HER MOTHER HER INSPIRATION ( Per Press Association ). AUCKLAND, June 25. New Zealand’s most distinguished aviatrix, Miss Jean Batten, made a triumphant return to her homeland today. The liner Aorangi, by whten she came, arrived soon after daylight, but it was met out in Hauraki Uuif by a welcoming aeroplane, which was presently joined by another. Owing to the earliness of the arrival and mistiness of the morning there was nat a large crowd on the wharf when the ship berthed, but there were plenty of signs of desire to honour Miss Batten m recognition of her great acnievcment. AU of the 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.

Greeted by Her Father The first to greet Miss Batten were her father (Mr. F. H. Batten), and her brother. They were closely followed by Mr. D. Arelell, representing the Government, and by Miss Batten’s former schoolmates, who garlanded her with violets and greeted her enthusiastically. Then for over hair an hour she placed herself at the disposal of the Press and cinema photographers. Obviously delighted by the reception, but calm, unaffected, and gracious, sne won every'•lie’s admiration. In between continual calls for her attention, she remarkci that she had experienced as great a thrill on seeing Hie coast of New Zealand as ol sighting the coast of Australia, although the circumstances were vastly different. She spoke enthusiastically of her welcomes in Aujualia ano. of Lord Wakefield’s help. Later .she was driven to her hotel in a motor-car which flew the New Zealand snsign and in which she sat almost hidden by btuquers. The greatest crew J seen at the Auckland. Town Hall f< i many years assembled to do honour to her. Hundreds Av';; turned away and tne street around the main doors was so crowded that U’a'ic was almost blocked. The speakers included Mr. C. P. Ulm, who paid a high tribute to Miss Batten’s skill as a pilot. Miss Batten replied with characteristic coolness and lucidity. Miss Batten’s ’plane in which she flew to Australia also arrived by the Aorangi. She brought with her a kitten mascot which was given to her by returned soldiers in hospital iu Sydney. It. has already done eighteen hours’ fljjug. Amongst those who welcomed Miss i Batten on the ship were representatives of the National Council of Women. She told interviewers that she had only been engaged three months to Captain E. F. Waiter, a London stockbroker, and owing to the uncertainty of her programme she was unable to give even th c 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 Mangero. She recounted 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’m Glad to be Home” “I want to say how glad I am to be back in my home town and to have achieved my ambition. From the beginning my hope was to bring my ’plane from England to New Zealand and now I have. 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 montns. She denied the report that she might take part in the Melbourne air race, saying that her machine was not sec-ond-hand but fifth-hand ana quite unsuitable. She hoped to b c m Melbourne to see the finish of tne race.

TO TOUR THE DOMINION HER MACHINE IS ‘' EIFTH HAND ” THOUGHTS OF CENTENARY RACE ( Per Press Association ). AUCKLAND, June 25. Although she is leaving Auckland for Wellington by train to-morrow to stay at Government House for a few days as the guest of thc Governor-General and Lady Bledislve, Miss Batten hopes shortly to undertake a tour of New Zealand, travelling in her own aeroplane. “It is fifth hand,” she said, “And I could not- possibly have flown it across the Tasman, although I should have loved to do so. The machine has a petrol range of 800 miles. After I have been through the Dominion I shall come back to Auckland for a good long stay. 1 also hope to visit Melbourne for the finish of the Centenary Air Race. ’ ’ Miss Batten was told there was an impression in Auckland that an entry had been reserved for her. “I have not heard anything about it before,” she said. “My own machine would be obviously unsuitable for the race. Even if I had an offer to participate in the race in another machine 1 should have to think about it a little and I have not nad much time for thinking during the past few weeks.”