THE TASMAN FLIGHT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 85, 20 January 1928, Page 5

THE TASMAN FLIGHT.

CAPTAIN MOODY'S PLANS, SUITABILITY OF THE CRAFT. REPLY TO FEDERAL PREMIER. (Per Press Association— Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) k ' SYDNEY, This Day. Captain Moody and Mr Osmond Jollev (wireless operator) state tnat they do not expect that any objection will be raised by the aviation authorities to their projected flight to New Zealand. They contend thsiuthe Federal Government has no power to orevent the flight. The Ryan monoplane which is to be used on this flight was originally the property of Mr Louis Seilert, of Palmerston North Mr Seiferl in November received a letter irom Colonel Brinsmead (controller of ciyH aviation in Australia) stating that «| was not necessary to. obtain the fier-, mission of the Civil Aviation Department to undertake a flight from Australia to New Zealand, provided nassenKers were not carried for «aymeiffl. Captain Moody says he cannot understand the insistence of Mr Bruce on having floats fixed to the monoplane. "Our speed and petrol supply are ot paramount importance," he 'says. "Floats would retard the travelling rate by 15 miles an hour, while on the other hand the weight wOuld compel us to carry less petrol."

Mr Bruce stated a day or two ago that although his Government has had no official notification of the proposed new flight from Sydney to. New Zealand, the Federal Government is strongly opposed to lone flights across the water unless an amphibian machine or a seaplane with , proper equipment for sea flying is" used. Mr Bruce added that the flight "proposed by Captain Moody in a monoplane without floats would be far too hazardous. The Government did not approve of any longdistance flights that were not first approved by the Government's technical experts and considered by them *o have a reasonable chance of success. There was a regulation nrohibitine flying in land machines more than 50 miles out to sea unless they were fitted with floats 'and carried the necessary equipment to give the airmen a chance if they were forced down in the sea.

MONCRIEFF'S FINANCES. AN AUSTRALIAN STATEMENT. (Received This Day, 10.45 am.) SYDNEY, This Day. The editor of the Morning Herald" says that the statement oublished in the "Herald" that the New Zealand aviators, Captain Hood and Lieutenant Moncrieff, when they landed in Australia,'had very limited financial resources was based on information supplied by Cn-tain Kight. It was pointed out by him that additional funds had to the raised in Australia to have the monoplane assembled, anu that those resources were so slender that the airmen could not remain long enough in Australia to permit the machine being thoroughly tested on orolonged land flights.

PROVISION FOR DEPENDANTS

MOVEMENT IN WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, This Day. The Mayor (Mr.G. A. Troup) has invited a meeting, of citizens for Tuesday evening with a view to discussing the position in regard to the widows of Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood, and deciding on action to be taken. The airmen's attempt to cross the Tasman, toe points out, stirred the imagination of all New Zealand. Thegj sought to place New Zealand first, and had no desire for personal gain. Apart altogether from criticism as to the completeness, or otherwise, of the preparations for the flight, none could deny that these were two (brave- men, who essayed a £reat task for the honour of New Zealand. All' men who attempted great things took a nsk, and should the time ever come when our young men refused to take risks romance would have gone out of life. The proposal is to inaugurate a. fund.

ALLEGATIONS UNWARRANTED. • ONLY MINOR ITEMS OWING. DANNEVIRKE, This Day. • Captain Eight states, in reply to the "Sydney Morning Herald," that he has been able to satisfy the trustees of the Tasman Flight Fund, that with the exception of one or two small items, all the accounts in Australia have been met. The allegations of financial embarrassment are quite unwarranted and at this time uncalled-for.

MR BAILEY'S PROPOSAL. {Per Press Association.) HAMILTON. January 19. Referring to the cabled statement of Major de Haviland in Melbourne, that he never heard of Mr Philip Bailey, the Hamilton trans-Tasman flight aspirant, the latter states that he wrote a long letter to Major de Haviland. This communication will not have reached Australia yet.