HOPE WANING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1937, Page 7

HOPE WANING.

MISSING AEROPLANE.

Week-end Searches of N.S.W.

Coast in Vain.

MISS BATTEN ASSISTS

L'nirn.l Press Association.—Copyright

(Received 10 a.m.) j SYDNEY, this day. 1 All hope of finding alive the seven ' occupants ot the Stinson air liner j lost on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney on Friday has been practic-1 ally abandoned. Search by air and land throughout the week-end tailed to reveal any trace of the aircraft or its personnel. Miss Jean Batten joined the searchers yesterday, making two extensive flights but without result. Fears arc entertained that the '-plane crashed into the sea 011 the way from Brisbane to Sydney. Thirteen aeroplanes have been employed in the search for the machine. Reports that it was seen passing over \ arious points south of Taree lead to the belief that it vanished within half an hour of Sydney. One report stated that the Stinson was seen over Ciosl'ord between 4.30 p.m. and ."> p.m. on Friday. The area in which the aeroplane apparently disappeared is closely settled and it is considered to be almost unbelievable that it could have crashed on the land without the accident being: reported within a day. It is reported from Brisbane that one man who travelled in the Stinsoii as "J. Barnett" was Mr. J. R. Binstead, of Manly, who was flying under the assumed name because his wife was ■ nervous of air travel and he did not want her to know he was making the ! trip.

MOLLISON'S ENTRY.

South African Finance, U.S.A.

Aeroplane.

LINDBERGH ATLANTIC RACE.

LONDON, February 21

A wealthy South African has given Mr. J. A. Mollison £10,000 to ensure his participation in the Lindbergh anniversary air race from Paris to New York next August, according to the "Sunday Dispatch."

Mr. 'Mollison says he has ordered a three-engined American Bellanca machine, with a top speed of 275 miles an hour, a cruising speed of 240 miles an hour and a range of 40()0 miles. "I cannot obtain a British machine as the factories are busy constructing aeroplanes for the Royal Air Force," Mollison said. "I have asked my former French co-pilot, E. C. Mollinier, me."

GERMAN AIR TRIP.

FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA

BERLIN, February 21

A Junker twin-engined ten-seater air liner left Dessau yesterday for Melbourne. The machine is piloted by three Germans, and will follow the Imperial Airways route to Australia, via India and Singapore.

BRIEF KARACHI STOP.

LINDBERGHS' ' AIR JOURNEY.

KARACHI, February 21

Colonel Charles and Mrs. Lindbergh arrived at Karachi yesterday in the course of their mystery flight. Tfcey remained onlv half au hour.