THE MISSING PLANE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 86, 21 January 1928, Page 6

THE MISSING PLANE

CHRISTCHURCH MAN'S STORY. SEEN OVER WELLINGTON.

(Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. That he saw and heard Captain Hood and Lieutenant Moncrieff's aeroplane over Wellington at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 11, is the firm statement of-Mr T. J. Woods, a Christchurch resident, who was staying with relatives in. Pipitea Street. The '.plane was travelling in an easterly direction, and there appeared to be difficulty in I the control. Mr Woods was for some time a member of the Royal Air Force, and was certain as to the identity of the machine. He was so confident that Ihe returned to bed satisfied that' the I aviators had reached New • Zealand • It was the noiste of the Mr Woods said, that awakened his sister-in-law, who in turn called him. He saw the 'plane, as he reckoned, about a mile away, flying in an easterly direction until it went out of sight behind a spur of the Tinakori Hills. The'plane showed up, a dirty white, m.' the early sunlight, and by its ments when it banked, it appeared that the left rudder controls were damaged. The noise of the engine was unmistakable. His description of the 'plane tallied with that of the machine that the aviators used. _ Mr Woods rang up the Post Office, and was told that the 'plane had been, reported bv several people, but that it was a New Zealand 'plane searching for the trans-Tasman airmen. Mr Woods had to go north on business early -that day, and when he returned to Wellington on the Thursday, he said, he reported what he had seen to Major Wilkes. * ~■»«• The theory was expressed by Mr Woods 1 that Monerieff and Hood had struck New Zealand, somewhere on the West Coast r late on Tuesday evening, had landed' on some suitable beach that they had found, and had) resumed the flight at daybreak on Wednesday. Tins would* explain the possibility of fii"* 'plane being in the air, from, the fuel point of view, and Mr Woodsi suggested that some injury might have occurred to the controls during the landing and subsequent take-off. He is of the opinion that the "plane will be eventually found in the Rimutaka or Tararua rangesv

smoke: m the ranges.

PARTY LEAVES TO INVESTIGATE.

WELLINGTON, Jaauary 20. . Mr Phillips-,. forest ranger;i has sent m a further report that what! might be smoke signals had again been, seen by him in the ranges m the Emki-Snowy River area. Smoke signals are also supposed to have been seen 1 by someone at Featherston, and ifr appears that the two sets of/signals coincide. A party from Wellington' has. left to investigate the area in question! more fully It was flown over previously by aeroplane when the smoke was first reported. The locality has ailso- been visited by settlers from Mangoroa Mr Vosseler, of the Tararua Trampino- Club, stated'to-nighte-that full arrangements had been made- for two particularly to he. obtained from near Featherston to make a special examination of the-area where the supposed signals were reported to have been seen. Mr Vosseler, said it was difficult to predict when the search party would be" back, but those who left Wellinfton this ' morning would probably reach the high country m the evening.

A REPORT RROM FEATHEHSTQN-

WELLINGTOK, January 20. The General Secretary of the -fast and Telegraph Department reports receiving a message from the postmaster at Featherston. stating that Mr Roberts of Wek'afield Street, Featherston, reports that he saw? smoke signals twice af 9.15,R.m., m the form of small clouds which, evaporated quvekly. There were no clouds, in the sky. He. watched closelv for thirty minutes, but saw no further signs, "Th*. smoke was .far back Mr Roberts is a reliable man, who'understands bush country and smoke signals. ■ Mr Vosseler has. sent two men out to investigate.