MISSING AIRMEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 79, 13 January 1928, Page 6

MISSING AIRMEN

QUESTION OF PLANS. MR McNICOL AND (PREMIER. (Ter Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 12. ■ Replying to-day to the statement reported to have been made at Whangarei by the Prime Minister to the effect that he had informed the aviators that he considered that their plans were illprepared, Mr A. McNicol, one of the trustees of the trans-Tasman flight fund, stated that he had no desire to involve Mr Coates in any public controversy, as he quite appreciated his good spirit toward the men and his desire for their safety. He and his fellow-trustee (Mr R. J. Macdonald), who fully endorsed anything he said, appreciated the steps the Government was taking to relieve the minds of those most closely connected with the flight. “At the same time,” said Mr McNicol, “it is somewhat unfair to the aviators and those most closely connected with the venture to state that their Elans were ill-prepared. To my certain nowledge, the only conversation held by Mr Coates with the aviators was held a few minutes before they sailed for Sydney. “It is only fair to Mr Coates to,say that he never personally approved of the flight, nor was the Government officially connected with it in any way. At the same time, Mr Coates did not discuss the plans of the expedition with the aviators, or certainly not to such an extent as to justify his statement. “In connection with the flight, people require to realise that ‘Scotty’ Monetieff had lived for it for many years. It had always Keen his passion since he had earned his wings to fly the Tasman, and ho has studied every point in connection with, it. If he is safe, as we all hope he Is, he will be the Lindbergh of New Zealand. Captain Hood is also a qualified airman, and was fully recommended by the Director of Air Services, while Captain Eight had also exercised considerable foresight in connection with the expedition. “Sq far as could be judged, the machine had every safety appliance, and was in every way capable of the venture.

“There is also one important point to remember, and on this Mesdames MoncriefF and Hood place very great reliance. Both Lieutenant MoncriefF and Captain Hood are very capable men of war experience, and are not likely to lose their beads when in difficulty. If they found themselves in a tight corner they have the courage and resource to face it, and it was''with this knowledge of their capabilities that their backers supported them in the venture. “The question has been raised "whether the Government has done sufficient to assist the men to find the shores of this country. At the outset, the Government had been :asked to lend the assistance of the Departments in connection with certain features of the flight, and this had been done. The Australian authorities had also given their assistance. The Government had been asked to have a warship patrolling the coast, and had promised that this would lie done if a ship were available. Unfortunately the date of the flight did not fit in with the movements of the fleet.

“The promoters are exceedingly sorry I that the country should be put to the expense of the search that is now taking place, but the trustees are of opinion that a great deal of this money might have been saved had two aeroplanes been sent out to scout the coast and show the men the into the •country. “I may add that the Australian supervised the erection and assembly of the machine, and apparently thought that it was in every way fit. The airmen, before they left, expressed their very deep appreciation of the services that had been rendered, and were more than satisfid with their •chances.” Mr McNicol added that the trustees and relatives of the men greatly ap- , predated the sympathy of the people of Wellington and, indeed, of New Zea-

land as a whole. He expressed regret that he had been unable to answer personally all the inquiries made of him ■at the Hotel Cecil in the past few days.

MUST NOT LOSE HOPE. CAPTAIN EIGHT’S MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, January 12. The following message has been received by Mr McNicol from Captain Eight at Sydney. All experts assure me that hope must not bo abandoned for several days yet, for they are either in the mountainous country, or if they landed iii the sea their tanks were sufficiently empty to keep them afloat. They had sufficient chocolate and water for several days.

DIOMEDE TO ASSIST IN SEARCH. AUCKLAND, January 12. In view of the wide extent of the area over which search for the missing airmen is to bo made oft the coast the cruiser Di-omede will leave Auckland to-morrow morning to assist the cruiser Dunedin, which sailed shortly before noon to-day. The sloops Veronica and Laburnum will coal and stand by ready to go to sea if their services are required. The cruisers will co-operate in a •search covering a wide area. The Dunedin and Diomede will both d'o twentyfour knots, the Dunedin being due in the search area at midday to-morrow and the Diomede on Saturday morning.

'THE PAEKAKARIKI REPORT. AVIATORS’ WIVES CONVINCED. WELLINGTON, January 12. One of the first « the many places from which reports were received statins: that the aeroplane which haci crossed the Tasman had been seen was Paekakaripi. Messrs Peppered and Harris were quite definite in their abatements that they had Seen t e Aeroplane on a downward glide, travel-

ling out t-o sea. The fact that the engine was not heard was attributed to a strong northerly wind blowing off the land. The postmaster at Paekakariki has stated that he places the utmost reliance on the story told by Messrs Pepperell and Harris and is convinced that they did, in fact, see the aeroplane and not merely imagine it. So greatly impressed were Mrs MoucriefE and Mrs Hood with the persistency with which Messrs Pepperell and Harris held to their statements that they yesterday journeyed to Paekakariki in company with Mr J. R. Macdonald, one of the trustees of the flying fund, and interviewed them. As a result of that interview, all three are convinced that the story is genuine, and that it was the missing aeroplane that was seen.

THE RIMUTAKAS. SEARCH PARTIES TO GO OUT. WELLINGTON, January 12. _ Mr Rawnsley has been in touch with Mr F. W. Vosseler (of the Tararua Tramping Club) and arrangements are now being made to send out parties at once from Otalii, Levin, and Kaitoke, and, if possible, from Greytown, to search for the missing airmen. Mr Rawnsley is a flying man himself, and Major Wilkes and Captain Findlay will take him over the country by air tomorrow. Mr Vosseler will also have other parties of trampers organised and available if the aerial search reveals anything that indicates that such help is needed.

HOOD’S BROTHER HOPEFUL.

LANDING IN RIMUTAKAS. SYDNEY, January 12. Captain Hood’s brother, who is a pilot in the Queensland Aerial Mail service, states it is impossible for his brother to have sent the reported wireless messages. He did not know the Morse code. He added he was confident his brother and Lieutenant Moncrieff had effected a landing somewhere inland. It was their intention if it were dark when they arrived off the coast, not to make for Trentham, but for one of the beaches. • . They had evidently overshot thendestination and landed somewhere in the Rimutakas. His brother knew the country well and had flown over it, so Was familiar with it from the air.