REPORTERS’ ALLEGATION THAT NEWS OF FINDING OF CRASHED AIR LINER WAS DELAYED BY GOVERNMENT

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1948, Page 3

REPORTERS’ ALLEGATION THAT NEWS OF FINDING OF CRASHED AIR LINER WAS DELAYED BY GOVERNMENT

INQUIRY OPENED WITH STATEMENT OF PRECAUTIONS BY THE SERVICES

p.A. WELLINGTON, December 16. An investigation into circumstances relating to release of information to the public about the finding of the Electra aircraft Kaka, which crashed on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, and the subsequent recovery of the bodies of the passengers and crews was begun to-day.. To-day was occupied with the opening address by the counsel for the Crown, Mr T. P. Cleary, and the hearing of evidence from several of the Crown witnesses. The inquiry will be continued to-morrow.

WELLINGTON, Dec. id A commission opened an inquiry at Lamanient -buildings 10-uay into the circumstances relating to tne release or inxorinatxon to the puolic regarding tne recovery oi houies ana tne ruining oi the aircratt, Kaka, which crashed on October 26 on ivruunt xtuapehu. Sir Harold Johnston, K.C., presided. Mr T. P. Cleary appeared ±or ilk crown, Mr W. E. .Leicester tor the , New zeaiand Journalists’ Association, and Mr J. F. B. Stevenson tor the New Zealand Newspaper Proprietors Association. 'The commission is asked to determine and report upon the iollowing matters: — (1) Whether, having regard to ah ■’--conditions and circumstances surfeunjiing the finding of the aircraft an 3 the recovery of bodies from it, there \was any undue or impropei withholding of information from, oi imposition of any undue or improper, restrictions, upon the press reporters in obtaining information and photographs for the purpose of publication by the newspapers they represented. (2) If so, by whose orders or directions was such information withheld or restrictions imposed. (3) Whether, arising out of the inquiry it is expedient or practicable to lay down any general principles as to the privileges or freedom, or obligations of the press in similar circumstances. The commission is tc present its report to the Acting Prime Minister, not later than December 21. Mr Cleary recalled the circumstances of the accident. The aircratt went missing on October 23. The wreckage was found on the morning of Friday, October 29. On the morning of October 30 a Press Association message was published throughout New Zealand alleging a system of almost war-time secrecy had been imposed on the previous days upon activities of journalists in and about Ohakune. ~ Following on that message, said Mr Clearly.a denial was made by the Acting Prime Minister of the allegations it contained. But in the following week much publicity was given the matter throughout the country. Statements were made on behalf of the New Zealand Journalists’ Association and the question was taken up in the House. On behalf of the Government a promise was given that a full inquiry would be made info the allegations. TWO PHASES Mr Cleary said it was obvious that inquiry embraced two phases ox: Wpf activity. There was, first ot all, ( V v?hat took place at Wellington, from ■ whei*e all operations were directed, M and, secondly, in tne vicinity of Gliadr kune, where the work in the field ■ went on. 1 THE CONTROL OF THE SEARCH f When the aircraft went missing, ! the nerve centre m tne worn ox f searen and rescue was Air irafnc j control, a section or tne civil aviation ,/ brancn ot the Air oeparmient. Air Traxxic control was tne centre to which went ail reports, whether from seat cning aircraft or police or otners where all information was collated and valued. . , ’ Mr Cleary said that, m order to handle and control sucn a heavy volume of air traffic and to deal witn a great number oi reports, it became necessary to set up a separate search anu rescue operations rooms, equipped with staff and telephones, etc. i The decision to set up an opei ations room was made on the morning of Tuesday, October 26, and by b. 30 p.m. it was equipped anu functioning, said Mr Cleary. SPECIAL OFFICER FOR THE P R ESS While the room was being set up, it was necessary to. make some ternporary provision tor supplying the press with information. Once the room was set up, however, an officer was placed there, at a separate tame with a separate telephone, and Jus duty was to deal with press interviews and press inquiries. He remained there until atter the wreckage had been discovered. . Mr Cleary said he mentioned that feature because one of the complaints by the Journalists’ Association was as to the difficulty of obtaining information during that day (October 26) when the room was being set up. The sole cause of any difficulty was the temporary disclocation while the room was being set up. Upon better arrangement being made, not only were there better facilities for conducting the search but also for pro- . viding the press with information. . On the morning of Thursday, October 28, instructions were given in the operations room that in the event of wreckage.' being discovered, no information was xo oe released tor broadcasting until there had been an opportunity of personally advising the next-of-kin of the occupants of the aircraft, said Mr Cleary. Mr Cleary continued that he had been instructed that the direction had been issued at the instance of the two Ministers particularly concerned with the departments conducting the search, namely, the Acting-Prime Minister, who was Minister in cnarge of the Police Department, and the Minister of Defence, who was also Minister in charge of the Air Department. He (Mr Cleary) imagined that was a course which everyone would agree should be taken. WHEN DISCOVERY WAS VERIFIED Mr Cleary said that in the operations room '.there was a log kept in which messages and reports and a record of activities generally were kept On the day of the discovery of the wreckage there was an entry at 840 am. ‘of a message from a Dakota reporting that it had sighted what might be wreckage on the south-western slopes of Mount Ruapehu Following receipt of that message ' instructions were given for a closer inspection by lighter aircraft an Auster which took off fiom K A 1 message received from the Auster was entry-tiined 10.5 a.rn., stat* ing that it had sighted the wreckage of the aircraft- on the south-west slopes of Mt Ruapehu, about 1000 feet from the summit. Further messages. were received later. He drew attention to the entries, said Mr Cleary, because the Press Association message to which he had referred earlier had stated that the aircraft was dis-

covered at 8.40 a.in. —a iact which was imnieaiaxe<y Known co Air Control, bux xhat no iniormation was given unxn after the announcement uy Mr Nash in xne House alter iu.3o a.m. The implication of this Press Association message was tnat inionna--loii Wiucil wao avuuubic xrom oau a.m. was held up xor two hours, so .Hui me first amiouncement cuuid oe made in the House. lie wouiu suggest, said Mr Cleary, that it was clear xrorn me log entry, and it wouiu oe conxiuned oy witnesses, mat wnat was reported at jau a.m. was that something was sighted which might be airman wreckage. PREMATURE NOTIFICATION DaNGIKOUs Mr Cleary continued: “Until the discovery was verified, it wouiu have ueen dangerous and wrong tnat that should have ueen matte me oasis xor notnying the next-oi-Kin ot tne occupants oi the plane, in view ox the ±act tnat it might, as did so many previous reports received, turn out to oe unrounded. Mr remarked: “In iact, it was only after 10 o’clock chat the various authorities concerned were notified.” INFORMATION ABOUT BODIES Mr Cleary said another item in the log to which attention should be drawn was an entry at 2.54 p.m. recording a message from the Deputy Director of Civil Aviation that the police at Ohakune should be instructed that, on the authority of the Prime Minister’s Department, before any information was given out on the results of the ground party’s operations, the details should first be given to the National Airways Corporation and the Acting Prime Minister. The message passed to the. Ohakune police was that the Prime Minister’s Department had instructed the Air Department that any information regarding the recovery of bodies, etc., should not be given out until given to the Acting Prime Minister. Ihat message was ’phoned to the Ohakune police at 3.10 p.m. on October 29. THE ONLY INSTRUCTION Mr Cleary said that was the only instruction given to or by a Government department to any of the Government departments concerned in the operations around Mt Ruapehu that could be construed as authorising the withholding of information. Mr Cleary said that on the Thursday steps were taken to ensure that the relatives were advised before information was given out and it was possible that the message of Friday afternoon might have been a delayed repetition of the previous day s message. x . _. When the message got to Onakune, said Mr Cleary, it was communicated to nobody and investigations up to the present had | completely failed to show that the message originated in, or was authorised by the Prime Minister’s Department, as it was purported to have been authorised. Describing the second phase, Mr Cleary detailed the actions taken to i organise the search and described the difficulties under which it was conducted. Reporters Without Food, ’Guide or Equipment PA WELLINGTON, Dec. 16 At the Kaka press inquiry, Mr Cleary continuing said that at about the middle of the Saturday morning, eitrht or ten pressmen arrived at the area known as The Plateau, but they were not permitted by the SeniorSergeant, Taylor, to go any further. "They had no food. They were not equipped. They had no guide, and the track was being used. by the parties who were bringing the bodies down,” stated Mr Cleary. The pressmen, he said, were at The Plateau for seveial hours, during which time several incidents took place. That was the first place at which the journalists complained ox obstruction. POLICE CONTROL OF THE TRACK . On the Saturday morning, too the Commissioner of Police, in Wellington, after obtaining the authox-ity ox his Minister who was also Acting Prime Minister,, authorised the Ohakune police to inform Colonel Plea sants that he could take such action as was necessary to contiol the tiack. The action taken was that a sentiy wa Placed at the gate .to Cowan s mm yard. Only those, with permits fromXhe Ohakune police, should be allowed through. Earlier, the pres, men who had gone to The Plateau had apparently passed mill before those , steps were laKu Burins the morning, nut men were refused admis'on, ouj other pressmen were admitted witn oi’ without permits. RADIO MAN HAMPERED At Cowan’s mill, also, took place on the Saturday morning. O e incident centred on a radio van in w mill yard. Evidence would begiven that the radio operator was hamper ed by the presence of the R r e e s S and of others around the wneiess v The army and the police took tne view, that nobody should be allo to eavesdrop around that van. 1 AN INVASION! Mr Cleary said that, there were complaints of obstruction at Ohakun > but other complaints dealt witn Karioi airfield, which pressmen we allegedly told was out of bounds io Mr Cleary said that the people engaged in the operations on the mountainside and in the adjacent are “ s ' worked at a considerable pressure. 1 Many of them went without food anc. ' sleep for long intervals. Into that scene there came forty-five pressmen. It would be surprising- if m- ■ cidents did not develop that they ■ showed too much insistence on the - one side and too much strain on the ! other side. It was a pity that such J incidents might not have passed without being emphasised, and being made the subject of an inquiry, unless they had real substance. AIR DIRECTOR’S INSTRUCTIONS Adrian Wilfred Hayman, Area Controller 1 of Air Traffic control, Wellington, said that he was not aware of

any obstruction to journalists in the search and in the rescue operations .ooms, it was impossible to assist the press further than by providing an information officer s, who had a separate desk, and a telephone, ano wno was grven tree access to all information. Witness said that on October 28, he .eueivea 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 the discovery of wreckage, and to ensure that the Prime Minister’s Department was advised beforehand. Director’ Gibson had further - clarified his request by explaining that it was most necessary that the identification should be accurate in order that the next-of-kin could be notified through the Prime Minister’s Department. To Mr Leicester, Hayman said that 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. There were the words of the Acting Prime Minister, who was sitting,”— indicating a seat at a table. Hayman said that he may have made a reference to the Acting Prime Minister. He.did not recollect telling reporters that high officials had said that it was not in the public interest to release messages of the sighting of wreckage. To Mr Stevenson, the witness said that he had given instructions, in his own control room, that the release of information relating to the discovery of wreckage or of the bodies was to be made subject to a check, with either the Prime Minister’s Department, or the Director of Civil Aviation. EARLY REPORTS INCORRECT Arthur Douglas Bayly, Inspector of Air Traffic Cpntrol, said that he paid little attention to the report from the Dakota on Friday of the discovery of wreckage, as similar reports, earlier, had been proved to be incorrect. Witness was questioned by Mr Leicester about an entry in a log referring to the provision of details to the N.A.C. and to the Acting Prime Minister. He interpreted it to mean that no such iniormation 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 on to him. PRESS OFFICER GAVE PRESS FULL DETAILS Leslie Ernest Duke, an employee of (he civil Aviation branch oi the Air .Department, said that, on Octobei’ 26, he was given instructions to act as vress Liaison Oixicer. He was told that the details of the search were available to the press, to whom he was to give full tactual information. He was instructed that in the event oi wreckage being located, no information was to leave the oxiice until tne Prime Minister’s Department had been informed, so that the next-of-kin of the passengers and of- the crew could first be notified.

The first inquiry that he received from the press, after the confirmation of the wreckage, was at 10.40 a.m. He asked tiie press representative concerned to communicate with him in five minutes, when he would be able to give the full details. He then communicated with the Director of Civil Aviation, and he obtained permission to give the 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, the witness said that that was an unconfirmed report, and he did not consider that it was of sufficient importance to pass on. The witness said that the first unconfirmed report was considered to be of very little importance, and it was not even considered to be of sufficient importance to pass on to the Directox of Civil Aviation. MESSAGE ABOUT INFORMATION lan Alistar Scott, Deputy Director of civil Aviation, said that, on the day the wreckage was found, he received, and he passed on to me operations room, a message to be relayed to the police, which stated that, before any information was given out about ground party operations, details were to be given to the National Airways Corporation and to Mr Nash. He received the message by telephone and he relayed it to the operations room. It did not come from Hon. F. Jones oi’ Hon. Mr Nash, but he had no doubt aoout the authenticity ox the message. Mr Leicester: Were you satisfied it was a message from the Prime Minister’s Departments —Witness: 1 had'no reason to doubt its authenticity or its origin. _ POLICE SUPERINTENDEN I'S ' VIEW John Andrew Dempsey, Superintendent of Police, Wellington, said that on the afternoon of October 29, ne received a message from Air Traffic Control, stating iniormation about the recovery oi the bodies must not oe given out until it was given to i>xr x4asn and to tne National Airways Corporation. This message had beeri telephoned to Ohakune. Mr Leicester: If a member of the rescue party says that he was informed 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 bodies?” —-“No.” “Would you not agree that representatives of the press are not lacking m good taste and discretion in handling news of tragic occurrences?” —“I agree.” The witness added: It was the custom to infoxm the relatives nexore the bald facts were given in the newspapers. VERACITY WANTED Esmond Allan Gibson, Director of Civil Aviation, outlined the steps taken to obtain emergency accommodation for Aii’ 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. Witness personally rang the editoxof 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, he said, reports of the sighting and of the positive identifications 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 "iven to the press. He was m the operations room on the Friday morning shortly after 9 o’clock, and he was told that there was an unconfirmed report of what might be wreckage on Mt Ruapehu; but no one olaced any significance on it, as it was one of many reports that had been received that required verification. Latex, he ieturned to his office, and he, received a message that the sighting of wreckage had been confirmed. Witness knew nothing, until a couple of days ago, of the message relayed by the Deputy Director of C® Aviation to Air Traffic Control, because his interest in the operations ceased with the discovery of the wreckage on the Friday morning He withheMrfr Leicester L S “Was there any tS was to make the announcement? -Witness: “No! The only understanding that I had request that the National An ways coipora tion be given the opportunity to

notify the next-of-kin before the information was broadcast; and a secondary consideration was that Mr Nash would like to know personally. Witness added that his intention was that restrictions should apnly only to radio broadcasting, but the staff was -working under a 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 tomorrow.