FLIGHT FROM CHATHAMS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25516, 9 June 1948, Page 4

FLIGHT FROM CHATHAMS

SISTER THOMAS NOW IN HOSPITAL PATIENT STANDS JOURNEY WELL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 8. The Catalina flying-boat which flew from Auckland to the Chatham Islands on Monday to pick up the matron of ■the hospital there, Sister K. Thomas, who is seriously ill, arrived at Evans Bay to-day, landing at 5.10 p.m. Miss 1 nomas was taken to the Wellington Public Hospital by ambulance. Her condition was reported later to be unchanged. The commander of the Catalina, Flight Lieutenant P. J. Warner, said flying condit ons were quite good for the journey to Wellington. The patient stood the trip well. Taking off at the Chathams was difficult, said Flight Lieutenant Warner. The return flight had to be postponed from Monday afternoon till' this afternoon. Then the aircraft had to be taken to the smaller of two lagoons at the island in order to take its passenger aboard. The larger lagoon is the recognised base, but it had waves of between four and six feet high. The return flight was made in almost exactly three hours. Miss Thomas will probably 'be treated in the Wellington Hospital, and will not be taken to Christchurch.