HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1935, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our own correspondent.) HOKITIKA, July 31. Although the nights have been cold, with heavy frosts, the weather has here been excellent of late, the days being .sunny and exhilarating. | The result of the inquiry as to the Waiho Gorge aviation tragedy on June 20, appears to be the conclusion that so simple a thing as a bundle of newspapers was the cause of the accident. The pilot, explaining that the crash was due to an inability to move the rudder bar from the right-hand position, said that the only way in which he could account for the accident was that a bundle of newspapers, which he had with him, had slipped from his knees and worked its way against the 1 rudder bar, causing it to jam. Instructor Park agreed that the pilot’s conclusion was a feasible one and probably represented the cause of the accident. He had since tried a parcel of papers with another similar machine and the experiment satisfied him papers could thus jam the rudder control. The Coroner found that the mlshnp appeared to have been caused by a bundle of newspapers jamming the rudder control in the pilot’s cockpit. The Westland members of the West Coast Rugby rep. team to play Marlborough for the Seddon Shield on Saturday at Blenheim, left here this morning for Greymouth in order to take in the afternoon, a practice game at Rugby Park. Out of the nineteen men chosen for the team, the following are from Westland: Messrs. G. T. Nolan, E. Pfahlert, C. Schroder, W, Hughes,

S. Hendry, M. Davidson, S. Diedrich, F| Freitas, J. Walker, B. Kelly, H. Thiele, J. Cox and J. West. Mr. J. Devaney, coach of the forwards, accompanies the players. A number of local followers intend travelling to Blenheim to see the game. The inquest regarding the drowning accident on March 10 last in Okarito lagoon, is now to be held here, as the principal witness has left the Okarito district. A date will be fixed to suit the witnesses who are to be called.