LOST AIRMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 January 1928, Page 7

LOST AIRMEN

TARARUA POSSIBILITIES MYSTERIOUS SMOKE-SIGNAL (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January .13. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Office to-night received the following message from the Postmaster at Rongotea:—“Mr Stringer, foreman of the State Forest Service, reports that smoke is issuing from the Tararua Ranges, approximately behind Levin, and is apparently a signal, and not a bush fire.” LATER.

The Postmaster of Rongotea supplements his message to the G.P.O. with the following: “Stringer reports that fire is apparently in foothills, fortytwo degrees magnetic bearing from mouth of Rangitikei River. He feels certain it is not a bush fire.” SEARCH PARTIES LEAVE. MASTERTON, January 13. . Two parties left Masterton this morning to search the Tararuas for the airmen. They were equipped with three days’ provisions, alpine tents, and a stove; and will explore the ridges from the summit range until Sunday night. A third party of soldier settlers from Ngaumu settlement left to search the Waiortngomu and Orongorongo districts, where it was reported the plane bad been seen on Tuesday night. WEATHER UNFAVOURABLE. WELLINGTON, January 14. The weather has now turned wet and foggy, which must greatly impede the efforts of the search parties. KAIWARRA’S CLAIM. SYDNEY, January 13. The master of the steamer Kaiwarra, in a wireless message to the Sun newspaper, reiterates his statement that he saw an aeroplane at, 11 o’clock on Tuesday night. The machine was then circling in the vicinity of Porirua. It was in sight for three or four minutes, and then disappeared behind the clouds, flying eastward. The Kaiwarna at this time was near the Brother’s Light, in Cook Strait.

OTHER SHIPS SEE NOTHING. WELLINGTON, January 13. It was officially stated to-day that, five coastal ships, including the Imaha Breeze, Kapiti, and Hawera, were steaming at intervals from Cape Terawhiti and Kapiti Island between 9.30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Tuesday, and more than one of these vessels saw the Kaiwarra, bound from Wellington to Sydney, which reported seeing tlie flares dropped between Paekakariki and Stephen’s Island, but although they were all keeping a good lookout, they saw nothing indicating the presence of an aeroplane. Their masters scout the story altogether in connection with the belief that the aviators may have been picked up by a vessel, if they were forced to land in the sea. It is stated that not a single ship is known to have been at sea between Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, that has not since arrived in port, somewhere or other, or has been in communication' by radio. TN SOUTH WESTLAND? WELLINGTON, January 13. One shipmaster expressed the view that the wdather conditions, were such as would take the airmen well to the southward of their proper course for Wellington. He suggests, as an alternative to coming down at sea, a landing somewhere in South Westland, Where there are many beaches on which it is possible for a plane to descend unobserved. He and others consider it wrong that the airmen were not possesesd of the means to send out a radio signal in the event of a mishap, with some indication of their approximate position. There lias been no report from the tug Toia, and Capt. Findlay saw no sign of the missing airmen in his search from the air to-day.

CAPTAIN KIGHT RETURNING. SYDNEY, January 13. Captain Kight is a passenger by the Marama, for Wellington. CAPT. BUCKLEY’S EFFORTS. BLENHEIM, January 13. Captain Buckley took off at 11.10 this morning to patrol Farewell Spit, •Karamea, and Blenheim, as arranged, but was forced to return to the base at 12.20, after being up for a little over an hour. The engine of the plane was not going too well when he left, but he carried on, thinking it would improve as the flight progressed, but it got. worse. Difficulty was experienced in clearing the hills west of Blenheim, as the plane would not climb and attain a sufficient height. Had the engine been functioning well, Captain Buckley’ would have shaped the course from over Tophouse to New Plymouth, as the visibility was excellent over the North Island. On the way home the engine was very rough, and was gone over carefully this afternoon. Captain Buckley received no orders to-night for the continuation of the search. Ho is probably leaving in the morning for another attempt to patrol Cape Farewell and Karamea, which was interrupted to-day by engine trouble and bad visibility. SEARCH ON WEST COAST. BLENHEIM. January ’LI. Captain Buckle-r was advised by Wellington to-day to proceed with a ’plane patrol on the West Coast from Farewell Spit to Karamea, but heavy southerly weather now prevails and nothing can be done. The airmen can take off from Blenheim, but think the clouds are massed practically all over the territory to be covered, rendering any flight useless. Everything was ready for the flight this morning. . RUMOURS DISPROVED. WESTPORT, January 13. Reports having been received that something resembling wreckage war, floating out in the sea near Cape Foulwind, and smoke was rising from the Steeples, Mr Curtis, Secretary and Manager of the Westport Harbour Board, and Captain Tointon, Ar r! ant Harbour Master, investigated with a. steam launch, but all they found was a mass of floating kelp, and no sign of a fire. Reports that a plane was seen from

Denniston. Tauranga Bay and Karamea were also investigated without result. PORTER’S STATEMENT. WELLINGTON, January 13. The following statement was received by the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Office, from the Postmaster of Wanganui: \Vm. Henry Winter, tablet, porter, of Maxwell, declares: “1 was at my residence about two miles from the sea, at Maxwell Railway Station, on the 10th January, when I saw an aeroplane for two or three minutes, losing sight of it at 8.30 p.m., by my watch, which was correct. My wife, and three children, also saw the plane. It was some distance out tq sea, and appeared as a dark streak, travelling fast, and was very clear against the bright sky. When first I saw it, the sun having set very shortly before, it was heading for about Paekokariki, 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.”

WIRELESS SIGNALS. WELLINGTON, January 14. A telegram from Sydney yesterday said a statement had been made there that the call signs and interpretation code, to be used in the wireless apparatus installed on the aeroplane, were wired to the Government wireless station at Wellington, and to ships within wireless distance of Sydney and ( Wellington. This statement was referred to the Secretary of the General Post Office, who gives it a specific denial. No information was received by the Department in regard to any special code signals, oi* interpretation of code signals to be used on the aeroplane’s wireless apparatus. The only arrangement with the Department, was that the aeroplane should send a continuous whine for 5 minutes at each quarter of the hour. This apparently was not done as the whine received was over longer periods , and at- irregular times. ,_ • 9 NORTH POLAR . FLIGHT. LONDON, January 12. The Milan correspondent of the “Times” reports that the airshipM4, in which Nobile will make the venture to the North Pole, is almost ready. It embodies the improvements suggested by the Norge Expedition, including light screens of wire gauze, which will prevent air from the screws throwing fragments of icicles forming thereon through the gas envelope. Trial flights will begin shortly. ' ’ ENDURANCE RECORD. SAN FRANCISCO, January 13. Rain and the soggy field forced a postponement of Smith’s attempt to break the endurance flight record.