FORCED LANDINGS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 199, 8 June 1929, Page 4

FORCED LANDINGS.

SOUTHERN CROSS AVIATORS.

CONCLUSION 01 THE INQUIRY.

(United Press Association—Copyright.) SYDNEY, June 7.

The air inquiry has concluded. Counsel for the Southern Cross aviators severely attacked the newspapers which, were responsible for the suggestion that the forced landing and getting lost had all been pre-arranged. Mr Myers (counsel for Flight-Lieu-tenant Keith Anderson's relatives) submitted that Anderson was actuated by the best of motives when he started out. There was no evidence that he sought any reward, but the great mistake the authorities made was leaving the commencement of the search for Anderson too long after he was first reported missing. Mr Hammond, who is assisting the committee, said he was satisfied that the honour and honesty of the crew of the Southern Cross had been established. It was lamentable that the public should have been so ready toreceive and repeat the slanderous statements appearing in a section of the Press about the men whom they had been so recently delighted to honour and cheer for their pluck and skill in the air. It was inconceivable that men of the calibre of Messrs Litchfield and McWilliams should be deceived into being lost, much less to think they would become parties to such an enterprise by design. -. Either they were in the swim or they were fooled, and the evidence showed that nothing of the kind existed. McWilliams, however, had taken the view that there would have been a risk in converting his radio set into a transmitter. This was an error of judgment on his part, but there was no evidence that any member of the crew desired to remain hidden from the world.—Australian Press Association.