GREAT FLIGHT ENDED.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18157, 23 October 1930, Page 7

GREAT FLIGHT ENDED.

SYDNEY REACHED, GREAT SCENE AT AERODROME. A CHARACTERISTIC SPEECH. - a United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright SYDNEY, Oct. .22. Wing-Commander lvingsford Smith in his Avro-Avian aeroplane Southern Gross Junior, landed at Mascot Aerodrome, Sydney, to-day at 2.55 p.m., having flown from Brisbane in five minutes less than his scheduled time. This was proudly commented upon later by speakers who welcomed him. The sky was overcast and a light northerly breeze was blowing. A great crowd of people had assembled at the aerodrome 1 and the roads leading to it were thronged with motorcars.

Nearly 20 aeroplanes of all sizes had been flown out to meet the Southern Cross Junior, and at about 2.45 p.m. they all came into sight with Smith leading a little below the others. As the air fleet crossed the harbour and city all eyes were turned aloft and ships’ sirens gave Australia’s hero a hoarse-voiced welcome.

Excitement at Mascot. At Mascot the scene grew exciting as the airmen arrived and circled overhead until Smith should land. This he did with his accustomed ease and precision. Then pandemonium broke loose for a time. After very brief greetings had been extended by Smith to his family and close friends he was hurried into a motor-lorry—the same one that was used for Miss Amy Johnson —and driven round the landing field so that the spectators might see and admire him and shout greetings to him. Then, all smiles, but obviously tired, Smith reached the dais where members of Parliament and other prominent people waited to extend to him an oilicial welcome and congratulations on his completion of his great flight. The Mayor of Mascot, Mr Alexander, said he had been privileged on a former occasion to welcome Smith and the crew of the Southern Gross after their Pacific flight. That year he had presented the fliers with an illuminated address, but on this occasion the council had changed the form of its presentation and had decided that its gift should he a miniature boomerang made of polished wood, as it was characteristic of Smith, the greatest airman in the world, that no matter how long he flew or how high he flew he always came hack home like a boomerang.

Hill's Fine Achievement.

“The job I have done,” said Smith in reply to the cordial speeches of welcome, "has hardly warranted the tremendous fuss you are making on my behalf. Nevertheless I am deeply grateful and appreciative. After all I have been over the course before and should know something about it, but I must acknowledge that I had the advantage of Charlie Ulm's organising ability, which is a great factor in the success of these long-dis-tance flights. “I ask you not to forget the fine achievement of Flight-Lieutenant Hill who crashed at the front door of Australia, yet took his defeat in the very best sporting spirit. The nice things everybody is saying about .me should make a favourable impression of me upon my fiancee, who will realise what a fine fellow I am. I hope you will keep on ■ saying them within her hearing.” Flight-Lieutenant C. T. P. Ulm described Smith as the number one pilot among the world’s airmen.