WORDY WARFARE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 November 1927, Page 5

WORDY WARFARE

FOLLOWS GILES’S FLIGHT.

A TRIANGULAR CONTEST. OVER WEATHER CONDITIONS. BY CABLE—TRESS ASSOCIATION-COP YRIGHT. iSAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 24. 'Captain Giles has informed Air Rosewarne (his backer) that unless he retracts the statement in his telegram that Giles .is not playing the game and reflecting on his ability' to get started, the latter will resign as pilot for-the Australian flight. Contain Giles also states he lias sent a message to the British Ambassador at Washington asking him to' start action through official channels to force the Weather Bureau officials here to retract the remarks made on Wednesday. If -Mr TtOsewarne does not retract, the biplane will be taken to Mexico or Canada, for a now attempt at a flight to Australia.

Giles’s flight has now developed into a three-cornered controversy between the flier, Mr Rosewarne and Alajor Bowie. In a statement in the Hearst newspapers, Giles says the local weather bureau seems to be unwilling to give credit, to a man who did his best. He asks liovv can Major Bowie comment upon the conditions above the clouds far out at sea while sitting in his office at iSan Francisco? He relied solely on the reports from ships and was thus able to form not even the roughest opinion of the conditions applicable to aircraft. Giles gives a detailed account of his encounter with treacherous weather, including a terrific bump that caused the aeroplane to drop 500 feet into the clouds, a half loop that set the aeroplane on its back, and the completion of the loop that righted the machine. The loop broke the centre bracing, wire and so strained the aeroplane that he was compelled to drop the petrol. If he had been equipped with a life raft he would have landed on the sea and taken to the raft. Giles describes the difficult flight back and insists that no ship in the vicinity' could truthfully report that the weather was clear. The Afanoa correctly reported low-hanging clouds. The Venture was at. least 150 miles further out. at. sea than the spot where he met the bump. Attempts to reach Giles, who arrived at- San Francisco yesterday, failed, lie having left his hotel. Mr Rosewarne is reported as saying he had received no demand from Giles for an apology and believes the latter will continue.' Giles is quoted as saving he would like Mr Clarence Young, of the Bureau of Aeronautics, to examine his aeroplane and determine the damage and whether repairs can be maue at the Heart Ranch, also whether the damage is due to bad weather as Giles contends.

The dispute 'has reached a stage where conflicting reports come in hourly and it is difficult to determine what action will be taken. Some quarters believe the flight may be abandoned.