VERY EXPLICIT

Evening Star, Issue 19763, 13 January 1928, Page 6

VERY EXPLICIT

'A SWORN STATEMENT. [Special to the ‘ Star.’] WANGANUI, January 13. William Henry Winter, of Alaxwell called at tho Post Office and made a sworn statement regarding seeing the aeroplane, as follows;—“I was at my residence, about two miles from the sea at Maxwell Railway on January 10. I saw an aeroplane for two or three minutes, losing sight of it at 8.35 p.m. by my watch, which was correct. lam a tablet porter. My wife and three children, aged sixteen, fourteen, and eleven, also saw the plane. It was some distance out to sea, and appeared as a dark streak travelling fast, and was very clear against the bright sky when first seen, the sun having set very shortly before. It was heading for about Paekariki, and we lost sight of it as it passed a background of dark clouds. We have seen, aeroplanes pass our place both ways on former occasions, but always nearer than.,this one. I realise how important this statement may be, in view of the search now being made for the airmen.” Winter, interviewed, was positive that what he saw was not a bird or a flock of birds, because the object was travelling too fast, and he was too familiar with the difference. The ’plane was too far away to enable tho observers to hear its engine. Immediately after seeing the ’plane he communicated with the district traffic manager of railways at Wanganui and reported the matter.