Air-Sea Rescue

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30278, 2 November 1963, Page 3

Air-Sea Rescue

Sir,—l think tiiat to some extent the two-month ordeal of seven Cook Islanders in an open boat can be blamed on an inadequate search by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. At the conclusion of the search on August 17. “It was felt Chat even if toe boat was sZU afloat it was unlikely the: there would be any survivors.” This, like the case of toe casawtay Tongans on Minerva Reef, is an example of grossly underestimating the survival power of such resourceful, determined people. I call for a thorough revision of Air-Sea Rescue procedure and consideration of the type of aircraft to replace Sunderlands when they bwome obsolete. Whenever toe Minister of Defence has replied to queries about replscement aircraft he has mentioned “mart time-version Hercules,” but as these are unable to land on water they neglect one of the most important: fu motions of air-sea rescue!—Yours, etc., ROBIN C. DUFF. October 25, 1963.

UlTte Air Department replies: “This search was coordinated b<y service and civil authorities in Fiji. A Sunderland was despatched from Fiji and because of distances involved the search was mounted from Samoa on the first day, and from Manihiki cn the second day. Some 24 hours’ flying time was involved and an area of approximately 1500 square miles was thoroughly searched. Three similar boats in toe area reached Manchiki safely. Sea conditions were rough and local island opinion wa& that a disabled open boat would have stood little chance of survival. The Fiji S A-R. authorities considered that, bearing in mind aS known factors, any further searching in the huge areas of possibility would have required greater resource® than were available and toe likeIhood of locating toe boat, had it survived, would be small,”]

New Zealand Railways Sir.—The centenary of the raulwwys to this country is apparency tavninent; and no doubt toe publicity boys are busy brewing up their ink hr toe occrsxm. For those who built toe railways—toe surveyors. eng beers, tochnrctens. i kbour gangs—most of th* terrain being wtec it is. one has boundless rtmteottw: but it seems queecicneWe whether subsequent development a have altogether mo' toed up to 1 such pioneering vision and enterprise. U would be interee'aing to know, for example, how much leas tone it takes m-w then it did 20 or even 50 years ago. for pmwrngrra i and goods to mt by rail from 1 one end of New Zeetand to ; the otter, in view of toe fact 'that goeds consigned by ‘airraU' esc toM take toe beet ■ part of a week in transiS ■ from Auckland to ChristI church. Furthermore. dee anyone pretend that, with an adequate use of road transport, toe public might not ba I better served?—Yours, etc . MT.

Oo'ober 23. 1963. [The Minister of Railways [(Mr McAlpine) sate: “It seems hardly vvxctowh la cemmen'tmg on thia letter since it is obvious tost goods oouid not move entirely by rad from on? end of New Zealand to the other until the advent of the Aramoena last year. It is worth noting, however, that tert week two instances were reported to the press which indicate the present irtter-miand transit time. In one case a waggon left Auckland at 10.15 p.m. on a Monday and arrived in Invercargill on Thursday evening. In the other case a. waggon left Invercarg.il on Monday niom.ng and arrived at Auckland on Friday morning."]