TASMAN AIR MAILS

Grey River Argus, 30 November 1938, Page 7

TASMAN AIR MAILS

Night Service Expected

10-HOUR CROSSINGS.

(Received November 29, 11.20 p.m.) BRISBANE, November 29. Captain L. J. Brain, Flight Superintendent of the Quantas Empire Airways, stated to-day that a night service across the Tasman Sea was likely after the Sydney-Auckland air-ser-vice had operated for a few months, which would begin about March. .. The crossing would occupy about ten hours, with early morning departures from both terminals.

.Radio and Weather Reporting

CONFERENCE IN AUSTRALIA.

WELLINGTON, November 29.

Important questions affecting radio and meteorological facilities for a proposed trans-Tasman air service ■ are to be discussed at a conference >of experts to be held in Sydney on December 12. Administrative details arising out of the co-operation of New Zealand and Australia will also be considered. .

The Minister-in-Charge of the' Air Department, Hon F. Jones said today that New Zealand would be represented at the conference by Group- . Captain T. M. Wilkes (Controller of Civil Aviation), Dr. M. A. F. Barnett '(Senior Government Meteorologist), and Mr E. .H. R. Green (Radio Engineer of the Post and Telegraph Department). Dr Barnett will sail for Australia from Auckland’ to-morrow. The 'other two delegates will leave on December 6. They will make a. report to the Government on their, return. NON-STOP PLANE’S MISHAP. SYDNEY, November 29. . Considerable damage was sustained by. one of the record-breaking Royal Air Force Vickers-Wellesley bombers which yesterday was , compelled to make a forced landing in a ploughed field near Richmond. . The undercarriage was buckled, the wheels stripped and a wing torn off." ' The propellers were severely bent. .The engine was embedded. in the grgurid. ‘ / 1 The paddock, where the mishap oc-

currd, belonged to a farmer, Malcolm Smith, whose father was decapitated by an Air Force plane, at a forced landing three years ago in the same paddock. R. Somerville, the pilot of the particular plane, later, married Smith’s' daughter. Somerville was afterwards killed by an Air Force crash at Point Cook.

THE KYEEMA CRASH.

GOVERNMENT BLAMED.

' ' MELBOURNE, November 28. After 21 days’ hearing, - the evidence in the Kyeema crash inquiry ended tp-day. Counsel’s addresses have begun. .. .• ; ; • , ' , <<. Mr Lep Little, lor the Air Pilots and Navigators’ Institute, blamed the Federal Government for the crash. He condemned the administration of the civil aviation control, alleging the beacons could have hpen. operating six to twelve months ago. . He charged the administration with a' certain ainount, ot., looseness, mala,dministration and lack of co-ordination. He (Mr Little) suggested that the. Mih,ist'er of Civil. Aviation. (Mr .Thorby) be? called to explain. the decision not fo call for .tenders for beacons, and delays in the purchase or hire, of a machine for. tests of the beacons. <.

■Mr Little’s request was considered by' the .committee; Which announced that " the beacons were not delayed by failure, to calltenders. There was no reason for' calling Mr Thorby;/ . Continuing, Mr Little said the unfortunate'pilotwould never b’ave had to., make the decision .- he did, and these people would' have been aliy,*? to-day,,, if there had been- a beacon. The curse of it is. the beacon could have been functioning six to twelve months ago.” " , '. i ;/• ' AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO BE , REDUCED. . LONDON, November 28. . ' The aircraft carrier, Albatross, after carrying, .out*.trials, will .be ■ reduce ed to the reserve at Devonport. /•, ... _ ir-. iT> . * ’ ”' f *** NEW' IM PE RI AL AIRWAYS '-DIRECTOR. ' (Received November 29, 9,5 p.m.) , LONDON, November 29. r. -Mr„ Walter . Runciman, .son of-Lori Runcimari, has joined the - Imperial Airways Coy., administration. He probably . will be joint chairman with Sir John Reith. i-. ,- 1 : ; ■