STILL NO SIGN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 7 April 1926, Page 9

STILL NO SIGN.

EXTRA EDITION.

NO NEWS OF CAPTAIN WILKINS

FEARS FOR HIS SAFETY

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT

Received 2.15 p.m. to-day. VANCOUVER, April 6. • Although excellent flying weather continues, there is still no sign > of Captain Wilkins. Authorities at FairTxmks are not so alarmed at his silence, as the wireless might have met with a ' mishap, as by his failure to apoear. As he planned a speedv return from Point Barrow, it is feared that Captain Wilkins started ,• either to tour or to return over the ice to the seaward and crashed. ‘Svdney Sun Cahle.

DELAYS AND BREAKDOWNS

THE DAMAGED AEROPLANES. NEW YORK, March 25. A message from Fairbanks, Alaska, says: Discouraged, but not downhearted, Captain G. H. Wilkins began the work on Saturday of repairing the jtwo aeroplanes which suffered m accilast week. r Misfortune has dogged the expedition from the start, hut the Australian explorer-aviator believes that the worst is over and that, with bettei weather approaching, delays may not he so costly. ... . . At the best, however, it will take a full week to repair the landing carriages and the other damage to the Fokker and the Detroiter, which has three engines. „ . The latter machine fell from a height of 50ft after having taken olt easily and flown well. After touring about the local countryside. Major Lanphier attempted the. landing, hut 'the machine dropped, the wheels humping heavily. The right side or the landing gear buckled and gave wav, turning the machine on its nose in a bank of snow. The engines were pot damaged, hut both sides of the undercarriage were demolished. It will be possible to repair them here. Independent observers outside the expedition express the belief that Captain Wilkins will be delayed so long that his Polar flights will be impracticable this year. Captain Wilkins, however, does not believe this. A frightful blizzard, which the natives describe as the worst tha/fc has been known for years, raged on Monday to the north. It overtook a dogsleigh party, belonging to the expediwliich is freighting provisions and equipment from Fairbanks to Point Barrow, where 'the Polar flight is to commence. . ' . _ A radio message received from Commander Malcolm Smith said his party had reached the summit of the Endicoff. Mountains. A foot of snow fell on Saturday, which reduced the visibility to 100 yards and made it almost impossib'e for dogs to proceed, even S tlife men painfully cleared a trail anwhile, in Fairbanks, repairs are eding on the first aeroplane that was damaged in Friday’s accidents. It is admitted that the aviation field' here is very narrow, and it may yet be necessary to use the level ice field on the Tanan River, at Nenana, for the final “take-off” from Point Barrow.

A ireceut cablegram stated, that the third aeroplane of' the Wilkins expedition has also come to grief.