GERMANY’S AIR GIRL.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18630, 7 May 1932, Page 13 (Supplement)

GERMANY’S AIR GIRL.

FRAULEIN ELLI BEINHORN. ' A CHARMING PERSONALITY. Life Is obviously one big exciting game for Fraulein Elli Beinhorn, the young and rather famous German aiiwoman visiting Wellington. One of the pleasantest things about her -S her infectious chuckle, the sort of chuckle that goes with a girl who gets a thrill out of everything. Almost tne first thing that happened to her when the Maunganul arrived in mid-harbour at Wellington was that she was led away to be photographed on a quiet corner of the boat-deck. She had a mischievous glint In her eye as she gazed over the rail at the city bathed in glorious sunshine. “Looking at Wellington," she said, with a mock pose for the benefit of the cameraman. And again the chuckle. She was a trim, smiling figure in a light grey suit and a big wide-brimmed brown felt hat, of the same shape that pirates once favoured. Two of the smallest ways in which Fraulein Beinhorn is unlike most travellers who come to Wellington are that sbe has so far done most of her travelling by air, solo, and that she cannot be coaxed into reciting anything like a saga. Her thinking, like her experience probably, seems to come to her staccato. Yet she is a most accomplished young airwoman, wth acrobatic and seaplane tickets and a splendid flying record. Her first big flight was In 1930, when she made her way across the Alps to Rome. Her next was In 1931, when she flew to Portuguese West Africa and back. In December last she set out from Germany and arrived eventually in New South Wales. For the last month she ha 9 been In Australia, where she has, naturally enough, been something of a celebrity. “In Sydney," she said, “they didn’t leave me five minute® for my own.” She began writing a book on the Maunganul, and will leave by the lonio for an extensive flight in South America. “For what reason did you make this last flight?” she was asked.

“This one?" she said. “To see the world."

“And you have not made any plans as to what you will do when you get back to Germany?" “No," she said, smiling. “And if I had I wouldn’t tell you. ... I never tell people what my plans are. It’s so ridiculous when you say ‘I am going to fly around the world, and you crash in South Europe."

She Changed Her Mind. Frauleln Belnhorn speaks good English, idiomatic and almost colloquial. The extraordinary thing is that she has never lived or stayed in England. “No, I’ve never been there," she said, and it seemed to surprise even herself for a moment. Her casual mention of an aeroplane “hop” to Budapest led to the question of how many languages she spoke. French, English, a certain amount of Malayan, a little bit of this and an equal amount of that more or less describes her linguistic prowess. In Malaya, where the “boys” know no language apart from their own, she, too, had to acquaint herself with it. But it must be an odd language, with few inflections, free .and even a little abandoned. Fraulein Belnhorn explained how she picked It up. “It’s very easy,” she said, lighting a cigarette. “Yes, German,” she said, a moment later. "I speak it quite well." Again the chuckle.

Wants to Play Polo. As a matter of fact, Fraulein Beinhorn goes further than speaking it She has been writing stories of her experiences and sending them home to a number of newspapers, where they seem to be popular. The only journal she mentioned by name was the Berliner Zeltung am Mlttag, one that she likes particularly because It devotes itself a great deal to sport. She herself Is evidently one of those people who can do almost anything. She takes part in many different sports. “Nearly all sports,” she said, “except I don’t play golf. Yes, nearly all, I suppose. I can’t give you a list. I can only tell you the ones I don’t play. It's much easier that way. I don’t play golf, and unfortunately not yet polo, but I want to take It up as soon as I can." Her last week in Australia was spent on a sheep station, where she rode horses and played tennis. To play polo seemed to be one of her major desires.

Fraulein Beinhorn did not originally intend to come to Australia. Her trip was to include China and Japan instead. But when she reached Sourabaya she discovered that China and Japan were having a serious disagreement. Not being the League of Nations, she turned her attention elsewhere. “i looked around and found Australia, so I turned around and went.” The chuckle once more. “I’m glad I did,” she said. “I had a wonderful time.” She would have liked to have had a week in New Zealand, but she counted over her time and found that it could not be managed. "It’s also a bit cooler,” she said, “and I’m so spoilt now by the heat.”

Fraulein Beinhorn can tell many stories of the exciting experiences that have befallen her. She Is one of those rare persons who have actually been at, or at any rate near, Timbuktu. Her forced landings in the southern Sahara, in Persia and Rangoon all had an exciting side. The Sahara experience was bad enough, but the Persian one more disturbing still. Oddly enough It was the same place where Kingsford Smith met trouble. She met Mollison when he was in difficulties with the authorities jn Turkey. On her flights, which she always makes solo, she carries quite an amount of lugsage. She never sends it on. Her evening frocks, sports wear and so on are all packed away In the machine with her typewriter. But she buys new clothes at various places. Changes of climate are her own excuse. Changes of fashion are an equally likely one. Miss Beinhorn began flying in 1028. She Hew round Germany, then round Europe, then to Africa, and lately to Australia. The. world, for her, must he turning into a small place. Like Alexander, perhaps, she will pine some day for new worlds to conquer. And It may make her restless. But she must not abandon that chuckle.