MILITARY SERVICE.
EXEMPTIONS SOUGHT.
CASES IN CHRISTCHURCH.
SECOND APPEAL BOARD SITTING
A sitting of the Second Canterbury Military Service Appeal Board was held in Christchurch this morning. Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., presided, and with him were Messrs M. G. Rich and F. T. Eldridge. Major K. M. Gresson was the military representative.
AN AVIATION INSTRUCTOR.
Cecil McKenzie Hill (Mr G. Harper), aviation instructor for the Canterbury Aviation Company, appealed on the ground that his calling up was contrary to the public interest. Mr Bishop: I have asked my colleagues, and they agree that we should not send a man away who is engaged in an essential occupation like that. If he is exempted, it will be subject, of course, to his remaining in the same occupation. Appellant said he had an 18 months' contract with the Aviation Company. The case was adjourned sine die, on condition that appellant remains in his present employment. -Sun, 28/6/1917.
What Mr Wigram and his colleagues in this patriotic enterprise set out to do was to provide at a minimum cost to the pupils a thorough preliminary training for young New Zealanders anxious to devote themselves to the flying service of the Empire. They were lucky enough, with the assistance of the Government and the High Commissioner, to secure Mr Cecil McKenzie Hill, one of the most distinguished flying men of the Old Country and a highly skilled mechanic, as instructor, and under this gentleman's management and direction the School has realised the most sanguine expectations of its promoters. Of course, the pupils' training is not completed in New Zealand. After taking the pilot's certificate, which they may do after six weeks or two months of study and practice, they are sent Home to undergo a further course of instruction, which may include a variety of subjects, such as map leading, wireless, signalling, navigation, and so forth, that could not be taught here except at large additional expense. -Marlborough Express, 13/11/1917.
DEATHS.
HILL — On February 1st, Cecil Mckenzie Hill, Chief Instructor Flying School, late of Bridgwater, England. Result of an accident. -Press, 3/2/1919.
A RACECOURSE TRAGEDY.
TELEGRAMS
SAD FATALITY AT RICCARTON.
AVIATION INSTRUCTOR KILLED. DURING EXHIBITION FLIGHT.
[By Electric Telegraph-Special to 'Star."] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.
The racecourse holiday at Riccarton was turned into a tragedy on Saturday afternoon by the "crashing" of C. M. Hill, the well-known aviator, while giving an exhibition flight over the course.
Just as the Lyttelton Plate was being run at 3.50 p.m., Hill appeared over the racecourse in the Canterbury Aviation Company's new aeroplane. He circled over the course, disappearing in low-lying clouds, but reappearing again in a nose dive. He circled again and finally flew low over the course, being cheered by the crowd.
SKILFUL FLYING.
He waved his acknowledgements and did a bit of a switch-back over the course. Then he climbed again to get altitude, and made a wide sweep over the course. He was up a couple of thousand feet and flying in a southerly direction when he disappeared in the clouds.
He appeared again in a break of clouds and diving prettily threw the machine up into a loop. This was a very pretty evolution, but he did not come very well out of the loop, and had to put the nose of the machine down sharply to come out of it.
A WING COLLAPSES.
Then he dived for another loop. This time he was diving directly towards the crowd. He rose to take the loop, but as he did so there was a palpable snap, and one wing collapsed. The aviator evidently tried to pull the machine into the horizontal, but it lurched over sideways.
THE CRASH TO EARTH.
The end had come evidently for the very brave and popular aviator. The machine turned lazily. Some said that both wings had collapsed. A round object fell clear, probably the cushion from the passenger seat, and then the machine crashed beyond the belt of trees.
The crowd was speechless with horror, but immediately there was a rush across the course to the spot where the aviator had disappeared.
Word came back that the biplane was in matchwood, and that the aviator was dead.
Dr. Scott, who was on the course, was immediately driven across by motor car, and found that death must have been instantaneous.
Hon. H. F. Wigram, Chairman of the Aviation Company, at once motored over to the spot, and the motor ambulance was dispatched as well. The body was conveyed to the casualty station at the course, and steps were taken to inform Mrs. Hill of her loss.
Mr. Hill's body was conveyed later to his residence at the Sockburn Aerodrome, where an inquest was held in the evening.
MR. HILL'S RECORD.
The fatality was the first that had occurred in connection with the school.
The wonderful record for safety was established undoubtedly by Hill's careful and thorough methods of instruction. He had put through the school 182 pupils, cadets for the Royal Air Force, and it was not until the armistice was signed that he would take a holiday. He had taken many passengers for short flights, and had just mapped out a programme of air displays as far as Invercargill with the intention of carrying a passenger between each centre.
TRYING OUT THE MACHINE.
It was for this trip that he was trying out the machine used on Saturday. Flying in one or other of the Company's machines, Mr. Hill had frequently entertained racecourse crowds with aerial evolutions both at Addington and Riccarton, and his death made a great impression on the crowd.
HIS "BIT" DONE.
He was a skilful aviator equal to any emergency, and he had amply done his "bit" in training so many men for the flying service. Nothing short of the collapse of his machine could have led to his untimely death, as he had shown complete proficiency in his profession.
The machine in which Mr. Hill met his death was an 80 h.p. biplane, constructed at the aerodrome by Mr. J. G. Mackie, who was away from the aerodrome on his holidays at the time of the accident. It had certain new features which were expected to increase its stability.
TESTS NOT COMPLETED.
Mr. Hill intended to fly to Invercargill in it, but had not completed his tests. A fortnight ago he stated that he was not sure of the machine for stunting, and had still to try it out. It was possibly for this reason that he had not allowed anyone else to fly in the machine.
THE INQUEST.
At the inquest the Coroner found "That on February 1st, while the deceased, Cecil McKenzie Hill, was making an exhibition flight over Riccarton, and attempting to loop the loop, one wing of the machine collapsed and the machine fell to the ground, deceased being killed as a result of the fall.
The collapse of the .wing appears to have been due to the breaking of one of the flying wires. The machine was built under the personal supervision of deceased, who was a competent mechanic, and he expressed himself satisfied with his machine." -Greymouth Evening Star, 3/2/1919.
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