A GREAT FEAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 246, 17 October 1936, Page 9

A GREAT FEAT

i PRIME MINISTER’S TRIBUTE i CONGRATWATIONS FROM , HOUSE . A WONDERFLJL ACHIEVEMENT ' [Per Fresn Association' I WELLINGTON, Oct. 16. • Very hearty congratulations | were extended to Miss Jean Bids’ ten by the Primo Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) just before the House ro«e to-day. The • news of her safe landing at Man- ; i gero had just been received, and i I Mr Savage said he thought all | members would extend very hearty congratulations to Miss j Batten on having successfully negotiated the Tasman. I “This,” he said, “is one of the higIgest accomplishments of the age. Miss Batten has not only proved herself to he foremost among women, but also foremost among those who have mastered the air.” He said he had listened to a clergyI man last. Sunday who, referring to i Miss Batten, had put. it. very aptly i |when he said that, she had outdone ' | the birds at their own game. Mr I Savage said that that was splendid, j iand seemed to fit the situation admir- i ably. He thought. New Zealand would ■ be proud of Miss Batten and every ■ member of the House would join with i him in extending to her their very j heartiest congratulations, and he ! hoped she would be spared for many i years to come to do even bigger I things in the field of flying. Those I who had some knowledge of mechanl- I cal things knew how easy it was for i the very best machine to stop and a i great, engineer was not 1o know whv. j He would fiddle around for a while : and it would go off again as if noth- ! ing had hanpened. Those who knew i the eccentricities of an engine would marvel at the nerve as well as at the I | capacity of the girl who had flown | from Britain Io New Zealand. With- , out any qualification it was on A of the i greatest accomplishments of the age. • It placed Miss Batten not only as a ; fearless girl, hut also as an engineer of the first magnitude. It showed Io him. and ho thought to everyone who considered the thing for a moment, that, women could compare verv favourably with men in most, things that, required ingenuity, skill, and daring. “Now. Mr Sneaker, T will leave it. at that.” Mr Savage added. “I want to extend, on behalf of the Government and the people of this country, and, I think I can say after the representations that have been made to Ime by the Leader of the Deposition II hat. we are quite united as a Parllai ment, not only as a Government, and a people, but we will unite as a Parliament and neon'o of Now Zealand in extending to Miss Batten our very heartiest, congratulations on her accomplishment, ar 1 exnress our great satisfaction th-. I she is here and well in the land of her bi’’fh.” (Annlause'i. The Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Leader of the Opposition, associating himself with the Prime Minister’s congratulations Io Miss Batten, declared that, when the news was received the first, feeling was one of relief, for one felt that in undertaking such a journey, no matter how skilful, how experii enced Miss Batten was. there was always an element nf risk. He was I sure the people of New Zealand, I throughout the day. had been very I anxious indeed that no mishan should i occur and the;. r »rst reaction was one ;of great relief. Then there was a feeling of pride over a young New ; Zealand girl showing such wonderful : capacity, such courage and such determination as to carry through a ! great, lone-handed flight from Britain : to arrive in the land of her birth. He , knew that this was ambition, for i the last time she arrived in Austra- ! ba she declared that it was her am- ’ hition to fly to the country in which ■ she was born. Everyone was pleased and the Prime Minister, in extending to Miss Batten congratulations of the • House and Government, was doing : .something with which the neonle ot • New Zealand would be heartily in ac- . cord. (Applause).