SEARCH IN MOUNTAINS

Evening Star, Issue 19765, 16 January 1928, Page 8

SEARCH IN MOUNTAINS

INVESTIGATING ALL CLUES HO WORD OF MISSING AIRMEN WARSHIP IN HEAVY SEAS. [Special to the ‘ Stab.’] WELLINGTON, 'January 16. The completeness of the mountain search organised from Wellington in tho hope of finding signs of the missing aviators commands admiration. Over 200 men liavo voluntarily undertaken hard tramps in tho roughest country, hoping to pick up signs of Moncrieff and Hood, or at least to probe to the bottom the remarkably numerous reports that tho ’plane has been seen or heard in the area Irom Levin, on tiio West Coast, Masterton on the east, and towards Wellington. Ibis triangle, all mountainous, is being tramped ty numerous small parties, each with at least one experienced trampor in charge, and all in touch and under the direction of the, president of tho Tararua Tramping Club, Mr Fred \ osscier. A HILLSIDE OBJECT. Yesterday a party of trampers v/ho had come into the Tarania Range at Otaki Forks, on tho west side, were searching the slopes of Mount Omega, owing to a report by the forest ranger nt Kaitoko that ho had scon something resembling a tent 2ft wide by 4ft hg-h, and a grey-white Hat-looking object, ’fhe search party iiad made the traveise of Mount Hector, but while on the high country cm Saturday alteruoon tilery was a thick mist. To-day’s weather is line in that area. 'they were intercepted before returning, and tue He fence Department sent up loud and a powerlul telescope, so that this report will be thoroughly tested out to-day. Additional searchers went from Wellington at midnight on Saturday to reinforce tins During Sunday they reached .Bayonet Beak, irom which a view could be obtained of the position. Aj. i.|st the fog was too thick, but it eventually cleared, and Forestranger Rhiliips, who had made the original report, and who was with the search party, telegraphed that the objects were located, but tile glass was not good enough to see them clearly. All the parly agreed that they arc two while objects, with a space between them. They decided to go to the actual spot, and at 1.30 ou Sunday afternoon seven persons left Featherston. They have arranged to put up a smoko signal ao 10 a.m. on Monday if help is needed. SIGNAL LIGHTS IN HILLS. A great stimulus was given to tho search organisation when a message was received from Kahutara, on Lake Wakarapa, from Messrs Stewart and Church (two well-known fanners), who stated that they wore out with other persons catching eels in the lake late on Saturday night, and saw colored lights over the hills to the westward. It was pitch dark, and they could not be mistaken about the nature of the lights. A careful note was taken of the direction, and this morning the bearings wore checked with the mountains, and the conclusion arrived at that tho lights had been seen between Bull Hill and Mount Mabel. Accordingly, a search party was organised today to explore this area, which is rough and mountainous. Those who have been in touch with the farmers state that they are sensible, observant men, whoso action in taking bearings indicated that they had something de-finite—-certainly something which must be investigated, especially as it is reported that one of Die last things put into the ’plane at Richmond was a box of flares, which an observer at a distance might describe as colored lights. Another report of smoke signals comes belatedly from Hnatora, near Dannovirke, from which point a farmer believes ho saw smoke signals in tho Ruahines on Wednesday night. Ho did not report tho matter, because so many statements were being published, that lie feared he would simply be classed as imaginative. However, in view of the serious position, and thinking over the matter, ho considered it his duty to communicate with the authorities, and a search party, including the police, has gone into that neighborhood from Danncvirke.

KAIWARRA MASTER CONVINCED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, January 16. (Received January 16, at 10.30 a.m.) On the arrival of the steamer Kaiwarra from Wellington several members of the crew declared that they saw Moncrioff and Hood’s monoplane when ,tho ship was about eighteen miles off Wellington. Captain Davies soys that he is absolutely certain that the object sighted was an aeroplane. Two flares were dropped, and the outline of the machine could ho seen. The plane was first seen by the chief steward (Bertwhistle), who pointed it out to the other officers. There was a heavy black cloud above the airmen The machine was visible for three or four minutes. It circled round twice during this time. Two flares were seen dropping slowly to sea as if they were made of some light material, and a light, which was evidently in the cockpit to aid the pilot in navigating, was reflected on the upper part of the piano. This enabled them to see the outline. This indirect light was more of a glare. The wireless operator likened it to a comet. It seemed as if the intention of dropping the flares was to assist the pilot to look for a landing. The plane flew to the east after completing the second circle. That was the last they saw of it. Captain Davies has no doubt that the airmen aro on the New Zealand coast somewhere. Question as to the approximate height at which the aeroplane was travelling, Captain Davies said he could not make an estimate, apart from stating that the altitude was about lodeg. The machine was too far away for the engine to be heard.

SAW NOTHING

United Press Association.]

NELSON, January 16

Captain M‘Leod, of the Anchor steamer Alexander, which has returned

to Nelson from the West Coast, reports that his vessel crossed from Wanganui to Farewell Spit on the afternoon and evening of January 10, keeping a special watch throughout, but saw nothing of the aeroplane. The steamer left Wanganui at I.lb p.m., passed twelve miles from the north of Stephen’s Island at 9 p.m., and was off Farewell Spit at 2 a.m. The weather was clear, with passing clouds, There was not the faintest sign or sound of an aeroplane.

DIOMEDE RETURNS A ROUGH TIME. [Special to the ‘ Star.’] AUCKLAND, January 16. With her funnel blistered by excessive heat, and giving the appearance that she had been through heavy weather, the Diomede returned at 7.30 this morning after search lor the missing airmen. Until the area of search was reached, the Diomede kept a steady 2'l-knot pace, and that speed was not altered until the search was abandoned on Saturday evening. At daylight on Saturday the vessel was in 37deg drain south latitude, and lildeg 39min east longitude. While in tho searching area a man was stationed in the foretop, and the officers kept a look-out from the bridge. At no time were the watchers able to see more than five miles away. No other vessel was sighted during the search. Yesterday the Diomede ran into heavy weather, and last night, on the run down the East Coast, the seas were so high that they swept over, the bridge. One officer told a ‘Star’ reporter that it was the roughest night known for years. On the trip 430 tons of oil were used, and the money spent on fuel alone will .amount to £1,505.