KYEEMA DISASTER COMPLETELY BURNED INOPERATIVE BEACON TRIBUTE TO MR. HAWKER JOINT LEAGUE TEAM DEFENCE OF EGYPT LATE SIR PHILIP STREET'S ESTATE THE CRISIS AT HOME WORLD THRIFT DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 9

KYEEMA DISASTER

COMPLETELY BURNED

INOPERATIVE BEACON

TRIBUTE TO MR. HAWKER

JOINT LEAGUE TEAM

DEFENCE OF EGYPT

LATE SIR PHILIP STREET'S ESTATE

THE CRISIS AT HOME

WORLD THRIFT DAY

NO RUSH TO WITHDRAW MOjNEY

LONIDON, October 26.

I Presiding in London over the regional conference of the National Savings Movement, Loud Mottistone said that during the crises small investors in.England did not irush to withdraw money. On the cqntrary they increased the amount- available to the bjr £23,000.

THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY

A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE

SPECIAL EXPERTS

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received October 27, 11 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. The Federal Government has decided to make a revolutionary change in the constitution of the Air Accidents Investigation Committee, which is to investigate the Kyeema disaster. ■ The Attorney-General, Mr. R. G. Menzies, announced that because of the special circumstances involved in the disaster,, a leading barrister and a highly qualified technical aviation expert not connected with the Civil Aviation Department would be added to the membership of the committee. The inquiry would assume the same position as a court of law.

REMNANTS OF AIRLINER

IDENTIFICATION OF BODIES

MELBOURNE, October 26.

Identification of the eighteen bodies of the, victims of the Kyeema air disaster began today in the Melbourne morgue. Much difficulty was experienced in identifying at least .five. Mr. C. A. Hawker's relatives have declined a State funeral. The remnants of the airliner were completely burned today by the police in order to remove all trace from the crowds. The Kyeema was insured for £25,000.

CRITICISM OF AUTHORITIES

SYDNEY, October 26.

Newspapers are publishing severe criticism of the Federal authorities responsible for the non-functioning of the Lorenz short-wave radio navigation beacon, which, if working, would, it is claimed, assuredly have saved the Kyeema and eighteen lives from disaster.

Mr. G. A. Robinson, managing director of Airlines of Australia, today revealed that pilots had actually brought airliners home to Mascot from Adelaide and Brisbane on the Lorenz beacon, and voted it 100 per cent, efficient, but, after that experiment, it had been switched off, apparently to await the Civil Aviation Department's official tests in'its Own time.

Mr. K. M. Fremih, president of the Institute of Air Pilots, said today: "We know what caused the accident. What we want is an inquiry into the policy and administration which made an accident of this kind not only possible but likely to occur again at any time."

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

DUNEDIN, This Day. Referring to the death of Mr. C. A. Hawker, one of the victims of the airliner crash in Australia, the* Hon. W. Downie Stewart states that Mr. Hawker was one of the ablest and most popular public men in Australia, with a splendid record of service both in peace and war. -...■.•*. "I met him recently at the British Commonwealth Relations Conference and had several long talks with him, said Mr. Stewart. "He had a remarkable knowledge of Australian trade and marketing problems, and when lie spoke at the conference his statements carried great weight. He was for some years on the Commonwealth Board of Trade, and was a former Minister of Commerce. * He wrote various pamphlets on wheat-growing problems. I was told by several public men that the Federal Cabinet should at all costs get him to rejoin the, Cabinet owing to his great ability and popularity." ■

AUSTRALIA AND DOMINION

TOUR OF ENGLAND IN 1941

(Received October 27, 11.10 ajn.) SYDNEY, This Day. A suggestion that the Rugby League team which is to tour England in 1941 should include some New Zealand players is supported by a number oi local officials. * «.„ Mr H; R. Miller, secretary of the New South Wales Rugby League, preferred not to comment but admitted that it was hard to get twenty-eight players of high standard from New South Wales and Queensland to go on tour. Mr. Miller considers that a triangular competition between New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand would help the game here and in New Zealand. _ i Mr. H. Matthews, the Balmain delegate to the New South Wales Rugby League, said that the inclusion . of New Zealanders in the touring side would not only strengthen it but would also encourage New Zealand players. ■

FLEET TO BE BUILT

CAIRO, October 26. Cabinet has. decided to build the nucleus of an Egyptian fleet of thirtysix units for coastal defence. It will consist mostly of light cruisers, minelayers, minesweepers, and submarines, and will cost £3,500,000, to be spread over two years.

SYDNEY, October 26.

Probate has been granted of the will of the former Chief Justice, Sir Philip Street, who left an estate cf £28,677, the income from which, with the exception of bequests to various institutions, is bequeathed to his widow.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received October 27, 11.30 a.m.)

RUGBY, October 26

Over five thousand saving institutions will take part in the world thriftday observation on Monday.