COURAGEOUS AIRMAN

Evening Star, Issue 22031, 17 May 1935, Page 9

COURAGEOUS AIRMAN

KINGSFORD SMITH'S OFFER WILLING T 9 FLY TASMAN AGAIN PROPOSAL DECLINED. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, May 16. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith volunteered to-day to take the x-emaining seven bags of mail to New Zealand in the Faith in Australia if the Postal Department would sanction the flight. The Director of Postal Services, Mr H. P. Brown, got into communication with the New Zealand Government on the subject, owing to the arrangements having been made by the Post Office there for the return mail to Australia, and a decision was reached this afterftbon definitely rejecting the proposal. Mr Brown telegraphed to Sir Charles from Melbourne urging him not to attempt to fly to New Zealand at the present time. “ The Postal Department considers there is no further justification for making a hazardous Tasman crossing,” Mr Brown declared, “ and after consultation with the New Zealand authorities wo decided to abandon the flight.” Sir Charles Kingsford ' Smith latexannounced that he had decided to abide by Mr Brown’s request. The remaining seven bags of mail will be taken to New Zealand by the Wanganella on Saturday. BROKEN PROPELLER OFFERED AS GIFT. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith telegraphed to Mr Brown offering the broken propeller, suitably inscribed, to Mr Brown as a souvenir in sincere appreciation of his magnificent co-opera-tion. Mr Brown replied that he would be delighted to accept it, and he paid a tribute to the gallantry and skill of the Grew of the Southern Cross. Acting on doctor’s orders, Sir Charles is remaining in bed to-day. Captain Taylor and Mr Stannage were about as usual. THE LOST MAIL. An examination of the official mail list shows that all the Melbourne mails for places in New Zealand, with the exception of Christchurch and Dunedin, were lost. The bags saved comprise one from Melbourne to Dunedin,, one from Melbourne to Christchurch, one from Brisbane to Auckland, two from Brisbane to Wellington, and one from Adelaide to Auckland. It is regarded as most unlikely that the jettisoned bags will ever be found. One weighed 741 b and would sink quickly. No compensation will be paid by the Commonwealth Government to senders of the lost Jubilee mail, as the Postal Department considers the loss was due entirely t 6 causes outside official control. TRANSTASMAN SERVICE. Captain Taylor, who was interviewed by the ‘ Sun,’ expressed the hope that the air service between Australia and New Zealand should be operated exclusively by Australia and New Zealand, “ Quite frankly, I say we do not want an English company directing this service. The whole pioneering work has been done by Australia and New Zealand, and it only remains for us to get the right type of machine to enable a commencement to be made.” STEAMER CAPTAIN’S STORY. Captain A. F. Watchlin, of the steamer Port Waikato, which arrived to-day, said: “ We had a most anxious time when we heard of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s peril. We were about 100 miles, from Sydney, and every man aboard stood by. We eventually sighted the Southern Cross, flying so low that it was difficult to find her. The old bus came quite close and appeared to be just moving, that’s all.” INQUIRY TO BE HELD SYDNEY, Map 17. (Received May 17, at 10.40 a.m.) An inquiry into the mishap to the Southern Cross will be conducted by the Air Accidents Investigation Committee of the Civil Aviation Department. The Minister of Defence (Mr Parkhill) said that all accidents similar to that which occurred to the Southern Cross were the subject of inquiry by the committee. POST OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS fPmt TJhitis Pm»» Association.] WELLINGTON, May 16. The Post Office proposes to despatch by the Monowai from Wellington and the Monterey from Auckland, both of which will leave for Sydney on Friday, all the air mail correspondence. Letters intended for despatch beyond Australia will connect with the Australia-Singa-pore air mail leaving Sydney next Tuesday, and will reach England on Juno 3, as scheduled by the air flight. The Wanganella took a large number of letters froxn New Zealand to, be brought back by the air mail. It is not yet certain which of the bags are in the Tasman, or if some of the letters to New Zealand were returned to Australia, but it seems certain that a considerable portion of that mail is lost. Some of the letters are marked “ Par Avion,” and cannot be sent except by air.