FORCED DOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 258, 31 October 1928, Page 7

FORCED DOWN.

SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA. Early Trouble In Sydney To London Flight. STOP AT BROKEN HILL. SYDNEY, October 30. A message from Broken Hill says Captain Hurley and his companions in the Spirit of Australia monoplane, bound from Sydney to Croydon, were forced to land 300 miles from here because of engine trouble. This was soon remedied and the flight was continued. The airmen landed at Broken Hill at 2 p.m. They are remaining there tonight for an examination of the engine. Broken Hill is 700 railway miles north-west of Sydney. The flight is to be resumed at daybreak to-morrow for Oodnadatta and Wyndham. Apparently the authorities at th-3 Defence Department's headquarters had decided to ignore Mr. Owen's absencc from duty without leave and to let the matter end with an official expression of deprecation. As it was Mr. Owen took his placc in the 'plane after what was evidently a most friendly talk with Sir Neville Howse, V.C., Minister of Health, who was present to give the airmen a semiofficial farewell on behalf pf the Federal Government. The 'plane carried letters from the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, to the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Baldwin, from Cardinal Ceretti, Papal delegate, to the Pope and from local Fascists to Signor Mussolini, Prime Minister of Italy.

Mascots taken include a small statue of St. Christopher, patron saint of motoring, and a piece of the propellerblade of. Sir Ross and Keith Smith's 'plane.

The airmen were dressed in orduiary clothes, having discarded the conventional flying gear. Captain Hurley's chief concern seemed to be his bowler hat, in which he hopes to make history by upsetting the amenities at Calcutta and Croydon. The people there have never yet been startled by the vision of such unorthodox headgear in an aeroplane.