ANDERSON’S DIARY REVEALS POIGNANT DESERT TRAGEDY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6920, 28 May 1929, Page 7

ANDERSON’S DIARY REVEALS POIGNANT DESERT TRAGEDY

Slow Death From Thirst

CIVEN £SOO TO SEARCH . FOR SOUTHERN CROSS

EVIDENCE AT MELBOURNE. United Press Association —By Eleetri* Telegraph —Copyright. Received Monday 8.40 p.m. MELBOURNE, May 27. The Southern Cross inquiry was continued to-day. John Hart, editor of Aircraft Magazine, said he unreservedly withdraws all published . statements suggesting that tho Southern Cross forced landing had been prearranged. Horace Brinsmead, controller of civil aviation, gave evidence that Smith and Ulm had little to learn about longdistance flying and the aviation authorities were at no time anxious about their safety. He regarded Kingsford Smith as quite an .exceptional pilot Witness had no statutory power to stop the flights of either Southern Cross or Kookaburra. He was convinced, however, that the safety of machines carrying passengers and mail goods should be protected by every means in the department’s power. Responsibility for purely spectacular experimental flights and for rescue operations should be upon those who undertook or encouraged them. When tho Tasman flight was announced, he sought statutory power to stop it, in the belief it was suicidal, but that power was not granted. It was believed the flight could be stopped by indirect means. He believed that when aviators were embarking on a flight to north-western Australia, they should carry not only an axe, but also other things, yet not loading themselves with all manner of things. The fliers should also have carried more emergency rations. Ho admitted tho preparations for the Southern Cross flight showed the greatest care and competence in organisation. Flight-Lieutenant Charles Eaton told the story of the finding of Anderson's body and miscellaneous papers round Kookaburra, also Anderson’s diary on the fuselage. One document found on Anderson s body was a contract between Anderson and John Cantor, hotelkeeper, of Sydney, who agreed to pay him £SOO to search for Southern Cross, progress reports to go to Cantor with the utmost privacy. Eaton submitted scraps of Anderson’s diary, revealing the story of the forced landing and their inability to prepare a take-off, owing to increasing debility duo to thirst, with other and unintelligible entries. Anderson’s machine seemed all right but tho compass was completely wrecked. There was plenty of petrol. Tho inquiry was adjourned.