FOOD SUPPLIES BY AIR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25227, 4 July 1947, Page 8

FOOD SUPPLIES BY AIR

RABBITERS SNOW-BOUND NEAR HANMER SPRINGS

Isolated for a week by snow in the back country behind Hanmer Springs, a party of six rabbiters received supplies by air on Wednesday afternoon. A Tiger Moth aircraft belonging to the Canterbury Aero Club, flown by Mr K. Archibald, of Christchurch, dropped supplies at their camp, which is about 30 miles from Hanmer Springs, on the St. Helens station. The passenger in the aircraft, Mr K. J. Pickering, who was directing the rabbiting operations when the snow came, carried a sack containing provisions on his knees in the front cockpit. When the pilot made a low-level run over the camp. Mr Pickering dropped the load, which weighed 150 lb. It landed near the men. who waved their gratitude for the food—butter, bread, meat, and tea—which it contained.

Their provisions were running low, and they are faced with a wait of from three weeks to a month before they will be able to get through to Hanmer Springs on horseback, unless there is a thaw.

A second run was made by the pilot, and a bundle of newspapers was dropped. The trip, which took two hours and a quarter, was described yesterday by Mr Archibald as being quite simple. Air conditions were smooth, and the worst part was the cold. He said he tried to get the club’s Whitney Straight for the job. but it was not available. About 200 miles were flown.