THE SOUTHERN CROSS DEPARTS FOR DERBY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6945, 26 June 1929, Page 7

THE SOUTHERN CROSS DEPARTS FOR DERBY

2000-Mile Hop

MOSTLY BOYS AND GIRLS AT THE AERODROME PINAL INTERVIEWS United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Tuesday', 7.45 p.m, SYDNEY, June 25.

Southern Cross, with 775 gallons of petrol aboard, took off from Richmond for Derby on the first stage of its flight to England at 2.25 this afternoon, by which time the wind had greatly moderated. Tho big Fokker monoplane ran for half a rnilo before it lifted into tho air and soon became a mere speck away in the north-western sky, which was cloudless. Tho Commonwealth weather bureau has issued a reassuring weather report as follows: “The weather is quite favourable over the inland slopes of New South Wales, very light nor’-west winds in Central Australia, then following to about 20 miles per hour to Kimberly'. The skies are clear throughout.

Among thoso present at the aerodrome was the group of the young Australia League boys and college girls, who presented Kingsford Smith with a sprig of lavender. The crowd was otherwise not large, owing to the uncertainty of the fliers’ departure. A letter of introduction is being takeD from General Lloyd to the Prince of Wales also to the Secretary of the Dominions.

Kingsford Smith expressed tho opinion they would cover the distance to Derby, 2000 miles, in about 22 hours.

Iu an interview, Smith said tho com mittcc’s report was a complete vindication of the crew, but he regretted that human faults had been over looked.

No News Contracts on Present Venture LIBEL CASE GOING ON. Received Tuesday, 5.30 p.m. SYDNEY, June 25. Before the Southern Cross flight began, Ulm informed press representatives that tho crew was under no contract to any newspaper this time. ‘ ‘ Our last troublo started over a newspaper war and wo are not going to be led into another.” Ulm added that the libel action against the Daily Guardian was definitely going on, but tho Court was so congested that it could not be reached before December: Tho present flight was being undertaken as thoir own private business. Radio messages from Southern Cross late this afternoon picked up by Amalgamated Wireless stated that the 'piano was doing 85 knots in beautiful weather and tho engines were running perfectly.

Bodies of Anderson and Hitchcock ARRIVAL AT ADELAIDE. Received Tuesday 8.0 p.m. ADELAIDE, June 25. The bodies of Anderson and Hitch cock will arrive at Adelaido to-niglit. Anderson's remains are coming to Sydney and Hitchcock’s are going to Perth. The Federal government will bo represented at both funerals. STILL IN THE AIR. Received Wednesday 2 a.m. SYDNEY, Juno 25. Southern Cross is still in tho air and reported "all well" at ten o’clock. Recommendations of Inquiry Committee CONTROL OF FUTURE FLIGHTS. Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. SYDNEY, June 23. The outstanding recommendation bj the Air Inquiry committee for the control of long-distance flights is that tho Department of Civil Aviation should, after a consultation with experts, lay down the requirements regarding maps, navigation instruments, food, water, tools and radio communication, with the penalty for non-obser-vance the confiscation of the machine or the prevention of tho flight. These regulations should apply to intcr-State flights only. Tho committee does not advise any action which would in any way interfere with persons possessing initiative wishing to undertake experiments, pioneering or exploration flights, but considers that such persons should be compelled to carry a minimum equipment and comply with certain regulations which would protect them against their own recklessness and, perhaps save the community heavy expense in the event of their becoming lost or stranded. The Commonwealth should be mapped off into recognised air routes and accurate maps and weather information always be available. The committee comments lengthily on tho absence of emergency radio aboard the Southern Cross. It declares that one of a number of transmitting sets in use when the flight began could have been installed cither in the form of a battery installation or a hand generator. The weight in either case would not have exceeded 20 pounds.