THE TASMAN FLIGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 77, 11 January 1928, Page 6

THE TASMAN FLIGHT

A FAREWELL MESSAGE. THE GOVERNMENT THANKED. <Pc/- Press Association—Copvnght.) SYDNEY, January 10. Lieutenant Moncrieff, in a farewell mess-age, warmly thanks the Commonwealth Government and the Air Force for tlieir assistance In preparing for the flight. He; says that without this it would probably have taken another month to start. He adds: "In this flight there is no pecimiary gain in view, nor is it a stunt, We hope that it may do something to establish aerial communication between Australia and New Zealand, that it may stimulate public interest in aviation as an arm of defence, and that it may bring closer together two countries which are destined to be a far bigger power in the Pacific than they are to-ciay. Defence is one of their many common interests." Opportunity was taken of the flight by various bodies and persons to send by the trirmen congratulatory greetings to New Zealand,-including one from Sir James Fairfax as chairman of the Australian Section of th«> Empire Press 1 Union to Sir George Fenwick, chairman of the New Zealand Branch.

CROSSING OF THE OCEAN. RECEIVING THE SIGNALS. fPer Press Association.) - 'WELLINGTON, January 10. The Postal Department advises that the New Zealand airmen left Richmond Aerodrome at 5.14 (New Zealand time) .and were lighted by the Maunganui, which was a>pproching Sydney, threequarters of an hour later. They were travelling 110 miles an hour. The weather here is clear, with a light north-west wind, which if it prevails far into the Tasman will be highly favourable to the aviators making for Wellington. There has been some doubt about the nature of the wireless equipment on the plane, but inquiries indicate that it cannot be utilised for sending anything except an automatic signal. This is being watched for by the Wellington Radio Statiom on a short wave thirty metres receiving set.

CROWDS AT TRENTHAM. FLARES TO GUIDE AIRMEN. WELLINGTON, January 10. The sole topic of conversation in Wellington throughout was the chances of Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood on the aeroplane Ao-£ea-Roa getting to New Zealand safely from Sydney. All people Consolea themselves with the reflection, that whatever might have been the weather condition? when they sot out on their long journey from Sydney, they at least had perfect weather at this end. Reports were obtained from the "telehpone exchange throughout the day stating, that signals were constantly beinjr obtained from the aeroplane, thus indicating that all was well. Those reports quickened public interest, and about ten thousand people journeyed to Trentham racecourse by special trains and by motor-cars for the arrival of the* aviators, which was expected between 5.30 p.m. and 7 o'clock. The number of motor cars was about 600.

After 5.30 p.m. the signals abruptly ceased and the hopefulness of the people gave.way to anxiety, which increased as the time went by without further signals. Among those on the racecourse waiting the arrival were Airs Moncrieff and Mrs Hood. They, and the great majority of the people, waited until dark before returning to town. The road from Trentham to Wellington was one long procession of motor cars with headlights burning, the occupants of which were returning with heavy hearts. From five o'clock right on through the night the newspaper offices were besieged witi telephone calls requesting information concerning the> airmen. Suddenly hope rose again. The telephone exchange announced that word had been received that the aeroplane had been seen off Stephen Island, near Nelson, at 9.50 p.m.

A little later further information was received from the Postmaster that the aeroplane had been seen passing over Paekakariki and making out to sea. They were flying high, and on a downward glide. This course took them to Stephen Island. Apparently they were looking for Wellington. They must have circled back, for they were next reported off Foxton. Meanwhile arrangements were being made at Trentham to light flares to guide the airmen to a landing place, as it was stated that they expected to reach • Trentham at 11 p.m. or soon after. How this time was fixed is not clear, for it seemed obvious that the men were not able to find Wellington. Among the many i-umours circulated about town about the time the airmen were expected to arrive was one that they had been seen over Westport, while a little boy at Island Bay was emphatic that he saw an aeroplane fall into the sea. He was taken to the police-station and closely questioned, without any satisfactory results. At 1 a.m. the first of the rockets were sent up. At that time there were still large numbers- of people at Trentham anxiously awaiting the arrival of the aeroplane. The flare in the centre of the course,, which had been permitted to die down was built up again.

SIGNALS REACH CHRISTCHURCH. HEARD TILL LATE AFTERNOON. CHIUSTCHURCH, This Day. In many parte of New Zealand anxious listeners were standing' by their wireless sets since an early hour yesterday morning waiting for the signals that would tell that the aviators were goinw well. There were many difficulties in -the way of picking up the signals and very much searching round the dials was necessary for there was no definite information when the aviators left as to what their wave-length would be or what the precise character of the signals would be. . It was 10.30 a.m. when the signals from the aeroplane were picked up in

Christchurch. From that time until 10.45 a.nu the signals were held steadily the whine from the 'plane's automatic transmitter coming in on a" wavelength of about 33.35 at 250 cycles. At 11.44 a.m. the aviators were still going strong, for up to that time their signals still being heard in Christchurch. The signals were weak —very weak —but they were unmistakably there.

After the failure of reception of the signals in Christchurch at 10.45 a.m., there were no further signals heard until 11.13 a.m., when they began to come in again. The signals continued to arrive, with intermissions .of silence, until 11.44 a.m., when there was a. further break. From the manner in which the signals came in there was room, for believing that the aviators were keeping up a continuous transmission, the failure of the reception periodically being due to the weakness of the signals. Some listeners reported that the signals were coming in at times quite strongly. . Between IP. 40 and 3 p.m. no further signals from the airmen were heard in Christchurch. The last definite signals heard were from 5.12 p.m. to 5.22 p.m. Thereafter the signals ceased. THE AVIATORS.

H&XPERIENCED IN THE AIR. spits ■ ' ~ Lieutenant John Robert Moncrieff, who piloted the Ao-tea-Roa, was born at Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands, and is 29 years of age. He was educated at the Leith Academy, (Scotland, and at the age of 16 came to New Zealand. Being of a mechanical bent, he was apprenticed as a motor enginjer, and enlisted in December, 1917, doing special flying course service at the Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch, and proceeding to England for furthei instruction, qualifying for his wings just before the Armistice. He was asked to stay in England for a special course for 12 months, which he accepted, and returned to New Zealand in 1920. He has since been a member of the New Zealand Air Force, and has annually taken his refresher course. On returning to this' country he resumed his former position as second in command at the A. 8.0. Garage, Wellington.

Captain George Hoed is the son ,of one of the early pioneers of the Wairarapa, Mr F. Hood, and was born in Masterton, where he was educated. He is 35 years of age. Captain Hood as a young man took an active interest in Athletics, and he has aiways been a keen rifle shot, having for many 3 T ears won a place in the King's Fifty at the New Zealand Rifle Association's meetings. He is a member of the Opaki Rifle' Club. At the outbreak of war, Captain Hood enlisted in the Main Body of the N.Z.E.F., giving up his farming interests. He saw service on Gallipoli and also in France, and toward the end of the war he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He hsd the misfortune to meet with an accident while flying in England, but he maintained a keen interest in aviation, and took every opportunity to develop his powers as an airman on his. return to New Zealand. He Ins taken a refresher course each year at Sockburn, and he was prompt to volunteer as a pilot when the opportunity of the Tasman flight offered. Captain Ivan Louis Kight, who, according to the cablegrams,, tossed the coin with Captain Hood to decide who should accompany Lieutenant Moncrieff, is a well-known barrister and solicitor practising in Dannevirke. He was associated with the Royal Air Force during the war, and on his re- 1 turn to New Zealand he maintained a keen interest in aviation, taking a refresher course each year. The flight of the' Tasman strongly appealed to him, and he threw himself into the scheme with energy. While the three aviators were in Sydney, much of the organising work and the negotiations with the Federal and New Zealand Govvernments fell on his shoulders, and his companions' spoke very highly of his ability and thoroughness.