MANY SEARCHERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 7

MANY SEARCHERS.

LOST AIR LINER.

Hundreds of Miles of Victoria Scoured by 'Planes.

SMITHY'S NARROW ESCAPE,

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph— Copyright)

(Received 12 Xoon.)

SYDNEY, this day

Up to a late hour last night the was no news of the missing Nation Airways' Sydney-Melbourne air line Southern Cloud, which was last set on Saturday afternoon. There a: six passengers and two pilots aboar Every available machine was di patched from the Essendon aerodrom Melbourne, and joined in the search. '. all 20 aeroplanes are scouring heavi] timbered country. The Southern Cloud carried no si<ma ling apparatus and nothing in her equi] jnent could be used to make signals sue as have been reported from the Yc district. A message from Melbourne says tl: ■Fhole of the north-eastern portion < Victoria is being scoured by air and lan parties for the missing monoplane. Aii men in 14 machines and 100 persons i land parties arc now engaged in coml ing the mountainous country. Very Dangerous Country. Flight Lieutenant Ulm, after obeerv ing the country where the Souther Cloud i≤ supposed to have been losi expresses the opinion that if the occu pants are still alive, they will have t 9tand by the wreck as the- terrain i impassable on foot. The Southern Cloui only had one day's food aboard. The Sydney-Brisbane air mail servici was resumed to-day, but the Sydney Melbourne run will be suspended till thi Southern Cloud is found. A farmer who lives a mile outside Yes reported that at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday he saw an aeroplane flying exceptionally fow ov>r the densely-wooded hills ir that region in blinding rain and <a wine cf hurricane force. Another farmer in the same district reported that at 9 p.m. on Sunday he saw a flare and what he thought, to b( Morse signals in the hills seven mile* *way. Pilot Allan, flying in the Southerr, Jloon, scoured 400 square miles of country around Yea. He said the missing monoplane could not possibly be in the area he had covered. The Southern Star arrived from Tasmania and was also pressed into the search. Flyers in four Wapitis made an unsuctessful search of the country around Flowerdale and Glenburn. Owing to the excellent weather these machines could be flown low, at times just skimming the tops of the mountain trees. Some of the most experienced bushmen in the north-east left Mansfield, in the Yea district, in motor cars, following upon the appearance of what seemed like distress fire signals in the hills near Warrenbayne West on Saturday night. Hundreds of people kept watch for further signals last night, but none were jcen. The airmen in the Wapiti aeroplanes failed to discover any signs of fire. The country in that area ie entirely unsettled and is broken up by gullies hundreds of feet deep with sheer sides overgrown with ferns, scrub and stunted trees. A fanner named Byrne, who says he saw signals, intends to ride to the spot. He says he can locate it. Smithy's Saving Skill. Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith, in the Southern Sun, left Mascot aerodrome, Sydney,, in blinding rain to join in the search.' The conditions were so bad that three Moths could not take off.' Smith decided to alight at Holbrook and his landing there was sensational. Striking the swampy ground the wheels of the big aeroplane were buried nearly 2ft and the Southern Sun dived on her nose. Only the masterly manoeuvring of the famous airman prevented the machine toppling over. It tame to a stop almost at right angles with the ground. The passengers rushed to the rear cabin to prevent the machine going over on her back. The centre of the propeller was buried in the ground and damaged and the machine could not be flown again until a new propeller came to hand. This arrived later and Smith resumed his search for the Southern Cloud. Miss Lyle. a member of the Aero Club, feftjtfelbourne at mid-day for Holbrook wifSthe spare propeller strapped to the side of her machine. For several hours before the accident Smith had been searching for the missing monoplane. He had covered hundreds of miles of country. Another eearcher. Captain Holden, was forced to bring his Moth down at Hittagong. New South Wales, owing to engine trouble. Captain Holden was flying in formation with Flight Lieutenant C. T. P. Ulm and another airman. The three machines landed and Captain Holden joined Lieutenant Ulnvs crew.

SCHNEIDER RACES.

COURSE ON' THE SOLENT.

(Received 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, March 23

The Royal Aero Club announces that the Schneider Cup races, beginning on June 12, will be held on the SolentSpithead course.

R.A.F. FATALITIES.

1931 TOTAL REACHES 29

(Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 23,

The Air Ministry announces that weutenant Alcxand'er McDowell was failed vrhen his aeroplane no=e-divcd and took fire at Lcuchars training base, near °t. Andrews, Scotland. ■Pilot Sergeant Anthony and Mechanic Nicholas were killed in a bombing 'plane trash near Suleimania. The K.A.F. deaths in 1931 so far are 29.