SAMOAN CLIPPER

Evening Star, Issue 22843, 29 December 1937, Page 8

SAMOAN CLIPPER

RETURN FLIGHT POSTPONED UNFAVOURABLE WEATHER FORECAST HEAVY CONSIGNMENT OF AIR MAIL [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 28. A postponement of 24 hours in the departure for Pago Pago of the PanAmerican Airways Samoan Clipper with the first air mail to be carried across the South Pacific was announced by Mr Harold Gatty, special representative of the company in New Zealand, at 10 o’clock to-night. The announcement followed immediately- upon an unfavourable weather forecast being made by Mr E. 13. Buxton, the company’s meteorologist in Auckland. _ “ The forecast is for bad weather, Mr Gatty said. “It indicates strong head winds between here and Pago Pago and unfavourable conditions on the first section of the route. The Clipper will moor at her buoy for the night.” All preparations for the departure at 4 o’clock in the morning, were complete when the postponement was announced. The Clipper had been re--fuelled with 2,000 gal of petrol, and the engineers had checked over the whole ship ready for the flight. The night landing floats to be set out over a milelong .path to indicate the runway to Captain Musick had been checked and were in position behind a fast launch in reach for towing into place and anchoring. Detailed arrangements had been made by Mr A. L. Lewis, the airport manager-, for handling the mail and stowing it aboard the Clipper. A large consignment was due to reach the base at midnight to be locked in a special compartment on the Sikorsky, but the plans were altered as soon as the change in the schedule had been announced, and the mail was held at the Chief Post Office. Extraordinary interest is being taken in the first Pacific air mail leaving by the Clipper. Up till last evening more than 1,000 letters and postcards had been received Prom all parts of the Dominion. There was a further tremendous influx to-day, and long queues were waiting at the Chief Post Office. Besides philatelists and agencies, business people are using the first air mail in large numbers.