STILL NO TRACE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 239, 23 July 1935, Page 6

STILL NO TRACE

’ PLANES SEARCH FOR AIRMAN. MANY PILOTS NOW ENGAGED. OVER VERY ROUGH COUNTRY. (Per Press Association.) DANNEVIRKE, This Day. Mr Hamish Armstrong, the missing airman, was an expert pilot, and never took unnecessary risks. Hs usually carried food and matches in his aeroplane and if he is down in rough country he is almost certain tu stay by the ’plane as there would bo more chance of his being seen than if he was' walking. It is believed that Mr Armstrong would have no hesitation in setting the ’plane afire as a last resort. Several ’planes were up before seven o’clock from a sole base at Takapau this morning. The Moths are working in pairs, and East Coast Airways' Dragon is working from Hastings to Palmerston North and back, but has not returned at noon.

Flying-Officer J. Buckeridge returned at 10 o’clock from a search in the Pahiatua-Woodville and Weber districts and went along the Ruahines. He had nothing to report, but the conditions, he stated, were better" than they were .yesterday. Emergency radio corpts from Hastings and Napier have a base station established at Takapau. Two members left early this morning to join the foot search party organised by Mr R. J. Macdonald and others last night in the Whakararas.

All are equipped with portable receiving and transmitting sets. A party is ready at the Whakarara Mill for instant departure if anything is seen by the ’planes. Four other parties are out, chiefly in the Whakararas.

The police have organised parties in Apihi, also equipped with portable radio. An Air Force Moth from Christchurch arrived this morning, and another from Palmerston North. This came from Auckland yesterday, piloted by Flight-Lieut. W. M. Buckley, and searched from Mangaweka up to the Kaimanawas and Kurepapango and back to Takapau, over very hilly country. It was snowing hard at 7000 feet.

Twelve ’planes are operating from a base at Takapau. Flight-Lieutenant Gerrand! (instructor to the East Coast Aero Club) is in charge of operations. He says that it would seem most likely that Mr Armstrong came down at the back of the Whakararas. ’Planes are now concentrating on the big ridges there, and ground parties are also investigating the ridges. Some of this country is among the roughest in the Dominion.

THE SEARCH YESTERDAY. CRASH IN MOUNTAINS FEARED HASTINGS, July 22.

Efforts by six searching aeroplanes and parties on foot have failed to find any sign of the missing airman. Air Hamish Armstrong, of Alcitio. All the aeroplanes returned to Hastings to-night, having searched all probable places where a crash might have occurred, the area of their operations having extended from Dannevirke, in the south and 'Kurapapanga in the north, on both sides of the lluahine ranges, and also the coast from Akitio to Cape Kidnappers. The visibility was good except north of Hastings to Kurapapanga. Those in the Ongaonga district who heard an aeroplane yesterday morning said the engine was running smoothly. Evidently the pilot, having lost his direction in the fog, turned toward the Ruahine range where, it is feared, he crashed. The country is very rough and difficult of access, there are ■“ few flat areas, however, on which an aeroplane could be brought dow n oy a skilled pilot. In such an event the pilot would be faced with considerable difficulty in finding his way back to civilisation. To-day search parties set out from the Ongaonga Sawmill, near where the aeroplane was last heard. Since early morning aeroplanes have been operating. Three from tlie Hawke s Bay and East Coast Aero Club, one from Palmerston North, and two from the Wairarapa-Ruahino Club have been engaged all day to-day, and from daylight to-morrow morning three others one from Wellington, ono from Palmerston North, and the East Coast Airways’ do Havilland Dragan—will continue their efforts.

One of the search parties on foot this afternoon at 4 o’clock saw smoke some miles away over rough country. Two men have stayed the night in tho open, intending to leave at daylight to investigate further. The party will be augmented during tho night by other men, with provisions. The clues followed to-day included two columns of smoke, one near Norsewood and the other near Wakarara. They are still being investigated. landing ground changed. FEARS FOR. ANOTHER PILOT ALLAYED. NELSON, July 22. Extensive inquiries were made .in this district this afternoon concerning the whereabouts of Mr R. G. Whitebead, who left Oreymouth this morning by aeroplane for Blenheim, and had not been -reported. Late in the afternoon word was received that Mr Whitehead had landed at Westport and was going on to Blenheim to-morrow.