On February 3rd, the day on which he flew to Government House, Harry was waited on by two ladies who desired to fly as passengers. The flights were arranged to take place on the Saturday following, although one lady offered £10 to be taken there and then, so that she might be certain of being the first lady passenger in Australia. She was disappointed, however, as Harry was not prepared to undertake any more flying until Saturday.
Passenger flight tickets found a ready sale at £20 each. In anticipation of a rush for tickets at the Caulfield Racecourse meeting, combined railway and admission tickets were on sale at tourist booking-offices beforehand. Special tramway services were also announced. The biplane was arranged to be in a prominent position where all who entered the course would be able to make a reasonably close inspection of it.
THE DETACHABLE BOAT CARRIED ON THE ATLANTIC FLIGHT.
[Facing p. 142.
THE SOPWITH TRANS-ATLANTIC BIPLANE IN THE HANGAR NEAR ST. JOHNS, NEWFOUNDLAND.
[Facing p. 142.
On February 4th the Melbourne Argus published a letter from the Hon. Secretary of the Caulfield Progress Association, protesting against “the use of the public park and recreation reserve known as Caulfield Racecourse for a display for which a charge was to be made,” and pressed the point that the proceeding was illegal. This letter did not, however, cut enough ice to prevent the Melbourne Argus from announcing on the following day special railway services for the occasion, as well as the intention of Sir John Madden and Sir George Reid to be present on the course.
Further correspondence relating to the use of the public preserves was received and published by the Melbourne Argus. One correspondent expressed surprise at the short-sightedness of the Hon. Secretary of the Caulfield Progress Association in objecting to the racecourse being used in the interests of aviation, and highly commended the action of the authorities in recognising the national aspect of the event. Another correspondent, probably a pessimist this time, who expressed doubt as to the power of the Minister of Lands to give permission to make a charge for admission to a display on the Caulfield Racecourse, stated that nothing short of an Act of Parliament could give the organisers of the display authority to make a charge. The Hon. Secretary of the Caulfield Progress Association endeavoured to justify his first by another letter, which appeared in the Melbourne Argus on February 6th. The morning paper announced that the gates would be opened at 1.30 p.m. The public were warned that on no account would they be permitted to encroach on the straight required for rising and alighting, but they would be allowed to cross the course between the flights. Further train and tram services were announced.