PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE TO AUSTRALIAN PAPER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 88, 12 January 1928, Page 10

PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE TO AUSTRALIAN PAPER

“PRIDE AND ADMIRATION” BLAZING THE TRAIL Dominion Special Service. Dargaville, January 11. In compliance with a telegraphic request from.the Editor) the Prime Minister (the Right Hon J. G. Coates) has. sent the following message to the Melbourne “Sun”:— “The pride and admiration which the people of New Zealand feel in the intrepid and courageous attempt, of two of her sons to be the first to attain the conquest of the Tasman Sea by air, and thus blaze the aerial trail between the Commonwealth and her sister Dominion, is none the less diminished by the present uncertainty of the fate of Captain Hood and Lieut. Moncrieff. We are all earnestly hoping that the morning will bring us news of the safety of the aviators, especially as there seems to be. every reason to believe that they had practically accomplished their task. No effort is being spared to locate their whereabouts.” STATEMENT BY PRIME I ’ MINISTER “ILL-PREPARED PLANS” AVIATORS VERY CONFIDENT By Telegraph—Press Association. Whangarei, January 11. At the unveiling of the jubilee commemoration tablet in the Whangarei Council Chambers to-day, and again at night at a reunion of the Empire Ex-Service Association, the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) made reference to the trans-Tasman attempt of Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood. The danger had Jieen well recognised by those., wishing to carry out the ambitious’ flight, said Mr. Coates; and they hoped and prayed that all would yet be well. A few weeks ago he had discussed with both comrades their plans, and he had said then that hq thought they were ill-prepared. The aviators, on the other hand, were very confident. The rumours that l ' had been published had proved unwarranted. The Minister of Defence had full power to deal with the situation and ’planes had been called from Christchurch, but had been delayed at Blenheim by -bad weather. Maritime experts had worked out approximately the area where the ’plane was likely to be. . Tugs were proceeding at full speed and would zig-zag back towards the coast. . ■ ■ ,

During his stay here Mr. Coates has received numerous inquiries from Australia .regarding .the missing, men.’ AUTHENTICITY OF SIGNALS THE . AIRMEN’S COURSE Mr. A. McNichol, trustee of the Tasman Flight Fund, informed a Dominion representative . yesterday that inquiries in technical and official circles went to show that the genuineness of the last automatic signal received in Christchurch at 5.22 p.m. on Tuesday could not be doubted. He understood. that it had also been picked up by Mr. Ivan O’Meara, the wellknown amateur radio operator at Gis.'borne. ■

At 5.22 p.m. the ’plane had been flying 12 hours 8 minutes, and, assuming that the .airmen had steered a good course, and the engine had been working well, they - should have been very close to the west coast of New Zealand at that hour. New Zealand extends over 1000 miles from .north to south, and had all been going well the airmen must have sighted some part of the coast line. In clear weather Mount Egmont, over 8000 feet in height; Mount Cook, over-12,000 feet; and other great peaks in the Southern Alps, must have been visible at a great distance, and would be .useful landmarks to the airmen for fixing their position; on the other hand, if the mountains were obscured by clouds, the airmen, if they had worked off their course owing to wind drift, might have landed away ■to the southward or the northward REPORT FROM ARAHURA CAPTAIN SAYS AEROPLANE NOT SEEN.. By Telegraph.—press association. Nelson, January 11. Captain Wildman, of the Arahura, reports that the weather was very hazy from Wellington to Stephen Island, especially overhead, and he is certain no aeroplane was seen from his vessel, brom Stephen Island to Nelson all was very clear. There were two officers on the bridge and two, look-out men, and no one saw any signs of the aeroplane. Captain Wildman says the visibility was not good all through the Strait. Some of the stewards and passengers reported seeing the aeroplane when the vessel was rounding Jackson s Head about 11 p.m., but this is ridiculed by all the deck hands. The steward who first thought he saw the aeroplane stated this morning that it was low down between the vessel and Jacksotl s and was passing quickly eastward. The captain states that this was obviously the light of a scow passing at the time, and was never regarded as anything else by himself, his officers, or any of the deck hands. REPORT FROM FOXTON BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION. Foxton, January 11. After sunset the clouds obscured the sky towards the west and south from the ocean beach, interfering with the

visibility. A' continuous look-out was kept, and later in the evening flares were lit along the beach. The reflection of these at intervals in the clouds gave people inland the impression that it was the aeroplane. w one appears to have heard the engine, which' should have been distinctly heard had the machine passed inland. One party of watchers still maintains that thev saw the light of the aeroplane heading from the -sea Towards Foxton and turn north and disappear in a cloud-bank. The sky during the- evening was overcast. • - DID AVIATORS OVERSHOOT MARK? A DUNEDIN MAN’S THEORY BY Telegraph.—Press association. Dunedin, January 11. Mr V. Carmine, a friend of Mottcrieff, with whom he tried to organise a flight over two vears ago, is at present' here He expresses the opinion that the aviators have flown past New Zealand, which would take only 30 minutes to pass over. If the weather was cloudy the rockets and flares probably were" not seen by the aviators. . Carmine, who is a wireless expert, stresses the need for an expert operator in such ventures. Had the Ao-tea-Roa carried one there would have been r.o danger of going astray, because tlje airmen would have been able to determine pretty well their distance from various stations.