ORDERS RECEIVED & ISSUED: OFFICERS CROSS-EXAMINED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22822, 17 December 1948, Page 6

ORDERS RECEIVED & ISSUED: OFFICERS CROSS-EXAMINED

WELLINGTON, Dec. 17

Continuing his address a: the inquiry into the release of information to the public about the finding of the aircraft Kaka, Mr T P Cleary, for the Crown, said that about the middle of Saturday morning, October 30 eight or 10 pressmen arrived at the area known as the Plateau but were not permitted by Senior-Sergeant Taylor to go any further.

They had no food, most were not equipped, they had no guide, and the track was being used by parties bringing the bodies down

The pressmen were at the plateau for several hours, during which time several incidents took place. That was the first place at which journalists complained of obstruction. Sentry Placed at Gate

On Saturday morning, too, the Commissioner of Police in Wellington, after obtaining authority from his Minister, who was also acting-Prime Minister, authorised the Ohakune police to inform Colonel Pleasants that he could take such action as was necessary to control the track. The action taken was that a sentry was placed at the gate to Cowan's mill yard with instructions that only those with permits from the Ohakune police be allowed through. Earlier, the pressmen who had gone to the Plateau apparently passed through the mill before those steps were taken. During the morning several pressmen without permits were refused admission but others were admitted with or without permits. At Cowan's mill also incidents took place on Saturday morning. One centred on the radio van in the mill vard. Evidence would be given that the radio operator was hampered by the presence of pressmen and others around the wireless van. The Army and the police took the view that nobody should be allowed to eavesdrop around that van. Mr. Cleary said there were no complaints of obstruction at Ohakune, but other complaints dealt with the Kariol which pressmen were allegedlytold was out of bounds for them. Working at Great Pressure

Mr. Cleary said the people engaged in the operations on the mountainside and adjacent areas worked at considerable pressure, many without food or sleep, for long intervals. Into that scene came 45 pressmen. It would be surprising if incidents did not develop that showed too much insistence on one side and too much strain on the other. It was a pity that such incidents had not passed without being emphasised and made the subject of an inquiry unless they had real substance. Adrian Wilfred Hayman, area controller of Air Traffic Control, Wellington. said he was not aware of any obstructions to journalists in the search and rescue operations room. It was impossible to assist the press further than providing an information officer who pad a separate desk and telephone and who was given free access to all information, said witness. On October 28 he received a message from the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr E. A. Gibson, saying that care should be taken that there was no premature release of news of the discovery oi wreckage and to ensure that the Prime Minister’s Deoartment was advised beforehand. Gibson had further clarified his request by explaining that it was most necessary that identification should be accurate in order that the next-of-kin could be notified through the Prime Minister’s Department. To Mr. W. E. Leicester, for the New Zealand Journalists’ Association, Hay man said he did not remember telling a pressman on the Friday morning “I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything Nothing is to come out of this office. Those were the words of the actingPrime Minister who was sitting there,’' indicating a seat at a table.”

Statements Denied Hayman said he may have made reference to the acting-Prime Minister He did not recollect telling reporters that high officials had said it was nol in the public interest to release messages oi the sighting of wreckage. To Mr. J F. B. Stevenson for the New Zealand Newspaper Proprietors Association, witness said he had given instructions in his own control room that the release of information relating to the discovery of the wreckage oi bodies was to be made subject to a check with either the Prime Minister’s Department or the Director of Civil Aviation.

Arthur Douglas Bnyly, inspector oi Air Traffic Control, said he paid little attention to the report from the Dakota on Friday of the discovery of wreckage as similar reports earlier had proved incorrect.

Witness was questioned by Mr Leicester about an entry in the log refsrring to the provision of details tc the National Airways Corporation and to the acting-Prime Minister, fie interpreted it to mean that no such information was to be given until Mr Nash had been contacted personally As he saw it, if there was any delay in contacting Mr. Nash, such information was to be withheld. He was given no reason for the instruction when it was passed to him Leslie Ernest Duke, an employee o( the Civil Aviation Branch of the Aii Department, said that on October 2C he was given instructions to act as press liaison officer. He was told thal details of the search were available tc the press to which he was to give full factual information. He was instructed that in the event of wreckage being located no information was to leave the office until the Prime Minister’s Department had been informed, sc that the next-of-kin of the passengers and crew could first be notified. First Inquiry From Press

The first inquiry he received from the press after confirmation of wreckage was at 10.40 a.m. He asked the press representative concerned to communicate with him in five minutes when he would be able to give full details He then communicated with the Direc tor of Civil Aviation and obtained permission to give full details to the press That was done.

Asked by Mr. Leicester if he had withheld from the press the message received at 8.40 a.m. reporting the sighting of wreckage, witness said it was an unconfirmed report and he did not consider it of sufficient importance to pass on. Witness said the first un confirmed report was considered of verj little importance and was not even considered of sufficient importance tc pass on to the Director of Civil Aviation.

lan Alistar Scott, deputy-director, said that on the day the wreckage was found he received and passed on tc the operations room a message to bo relayed to the police which stated thal before any information was given out about the ground party’s operations details were to be given to the National Airways Corporation and Mr. Nash. lie received the message by telephone and relayed it to the operations room. It did not come from Mr. Jones or Mr Nash but lie had no doubt about the authenticity of the message. No Reason to Doubt Message

Mr. Leicester: Were you satisfied it was a message from the Prime Minister's Department? Witness: I had no reason to doubt its authenticity or its origin. John Andrew Dempsey, Superintendent of Police, Wellington, said that on the afternoon of October 29 he received a message .from Air Traffic Control stating that information about the recovery of the bodies must not be given out until given to Mr, Nash and to the National Airways Corporation. This message had been telephoned to Ohakune. Mr. Leicester: If a member of the rescue party says he was informed that he must not give any information to the press under threat of arrest, was your department in Wellington a party to such an instruction? Witness: No. “Was any member of the police force

told to withhold information other than that having to do with the recovery of the bodies?—No, “Would you not agree that the representatives of the press are not lacking in good taste and discretion in handling news of tragic occurrences?’’ —I agree. Witness added that it was the custom to inform relatives before the bald facts were given in the newspapers. Director’s Evidence. Esmond Allan Gibson, Director of Civil Aviation, outlined the steps taken to obtain emergency accommodation for Air Traffic Control by establishing a special operations room so as to permit the normal functioning of Air Traffic Control on the one hand and the search and rescue operations on the other. Five telephones were installed in the emergency operations room immediately, one being specifically allocated to the press. He personally rang the editor of the “Evening Post’’ on the Tuesday and explained to him the difficult situation that had arisen, and said that an endeavour would be made to keep him informed until the new operations room was functioning. From all parts of the North Island reports of the sighting and positive identification of the missing aircraft had come from people whose imagination exceeded their veracity, and as a result he had issued instructions that only authenticated information must be given to the press. He was in the operations room on Friday morning shortly after 9 o'clock and was told that there was an unconfirmed report of what might be wreckage on Mount Ruapehu, but no one placed any significance on it as it was one of many reports that had been received that required verification. Heard Couple of Days Ago.

Later, he returned to his office and received a message that the sighting of the wreckage had been confirmed. He knew nothing until a couple of days ago of the message relayed by the deputy-Director of Civil Aviation to Air Traffic Control, because his interest in the operations ceased with the discovery of the wreckage on Friday morning. He knew of no instruction up to that time that information was to be withheld from the press. Mr, Leicester: Was there any understanding that on the aircraft being found the acting-Prime Minister was to make the announceemnt?

Witness: No. The only understanding I had was a request that the National Airways Corporation be given the opportunity to notify the next-of-kin before the information was broadcast, and the secondary consideration was that Mr. Nash would like to know personally. Witness added that his intention was that the restriction should apply only to radio broadcasting, but the staff was working under great strain and may have misinterpreted the instruction and taken it to apply to the press. His prime objective was to have the search and rescue organisation functioning properly and the press came second.

The inquiry was adjourned until today.