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STILL HOPEFUL.

air liner search.

0 'Planes Scour Miles of Wild Country.

SMITHY OPTIMISTIC

-sited P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The search all day yesterday for the Southern Cloud by nearly 30 'planes . and hundreds of ground workers proved fruitless. AirCommodore Kingsford Smith made two spectacular flights, spending 10 hours in the air under difficult conditions. Experienced pilots are still confident ihat the missing air liner will be found in the area, including the Yea, Flowerdale, Kinglakc and Glenburn districts, 10 to 50 miles north-east of Melbourne. A report from the police at Albury states that residents of Tintaldra, near the border, 280 miles north-east of Melbourne, say they saw a fire on Tuesday afternoon and evening and flashes every j.3 minutes in the ranges in the direction of Kiandra and Kosciusko. • Mr. F. H. Stewart, chairman of Australian National Airways, while admitting the seriousness of the position in regard to the Southern Cloud, states that lie"is still hopeful of Captain Shortridge having been able to put the Southern Cloud down, thus saving the passengers' lives. He.recalls that Kingsford Smith, Flight-Lieutenant Ulm, and the other members of the Southern Cross crew were lost twice as long as the Southern Cloud and were found. The company has the same faith in Captain Shortridge's ability. Mr. Stewart deprecated the harmful and unfounded rumours which were being circulated about the fate of the Southern Cloud, eausing pain to those closely associated with the missing crew and passengers. Kingsford Smith, in commenting on yesterday's work, said the search was hampered by bad weather, and the many conflicting reports as to the places where supposed signs of the 'plane were seen. /This caused a division of the searchers, which meant that some were spending their efforts vainly. He was confident the 'plane would be found witMn the next two, days, but is fearful of the fate of the occupants. In the hope that these might have been signals from the Southern Cloud Kingsford Smith, in the Southern Sun, left Melbourne yesterday morning to search the Kosciusko district. Other reports investigated by the famous airman yesterday also proved baseless. The supposed objects seen by Mr. Spargo, a ranger, on Mount Hotham, turned out to be snow. In an interview before his departure Kingsford Smith said "If the missing machine made a safe landing in some inaccessible spot we will find the occupants alive; The Southern Cloud carried a large supply of water and the passengers could live for a week.

Descent on Mountains Feasible. "It f would- be possible for Captain Shortridge-. to have descended in the most thickly-wooded country without injuring anyone.' He could either 'pancake' on trees or dip down one wing, which would absorb.most of the shock." .Two youths carried the news of the flashes :seen at Tintaldra, on the New South Wales border, on motor cycles to Holbrook, 60 mlies away. They said smoke, .was seen at , 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and when darkness fell two spears of light were visible. A resident of Tintaldra in a telephone commrnliCation said: "We watched the phenomenon for a "while. The flashes went out and in for several minutes. Then, there was a pause followed again by repeated flashes. By this time half the people of the township (60 in all) were in the street watching the signs.* "It was decided to try to answer the calls and the head-lights of the motor cycles were turned on. When we started the signalling ceased. When we stopped it was quickly repeated. Then came two long rays. At 9 p.m. these went out. „ The signals appeared to be not more than 20 miles away, in the direction of Kosciusko." ' » Kingsford Smith reported in the evening thtt- he had seen no sign of the signals; reported near Kosciusko. The postmistress at said ■ smoke "was seen coming from the same place yesterday morning. Apparently the flames were under control as they appeared periodically to come together. The Tolong Ranges are heavily timbered and almost inaccessible. The postmistress said it was unusual for fire to be seen there. She had never heard of anyone camping there. The point was .high up on! the range on the direct route taken by the Australian National Airways' machines. In several instances in the Flowerdale district,, where it was reported that residents had heard terrific crashcs in the hills, it has been found that huge trees were brought down by a storm. The Southern Cloud carried no flares, Verey pistol, firearms or medical equipment. • Four more light 'planes left the Mascot aerodrome, Sydney, yesterday to join the searchers. One of the volunteer ground searchers for the Southern Cloud, a resident of Yea, who is a member of the local Light Horse, Mr. McNamee, is lost. He be- ' came separated from the main party two days ago, since when he has not been seen. A reward is offered for information of the whereabouts of the Southern (•loud. An area extending from the Bass Strait to Canberra was plotted out for search to-day, although the greater portion has been combed already. Mr. Litchfield, Kingsford Smith's outhern Cross navigator, said the authern Cloud might have been blown 'i' out of her course during Saturday s orm. If Captain Shortridge was flying iiiid he could easily, in a 50-mile wind, drift 50 miles an hour.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19310326.2.41

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 72, 26 March 1931, Page 7

Word Count
890

STILL HOPEFUL. Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 72, 26 March 1931, Page 7

STILL HOPEFUL. Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 72, 26 March 1931, Page 7

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