FORCED LANDINGS

Northern Advocate, 21 May 1929, Page 5

FORCED LANDINGS

AUSTRALIAN EPISODES

CLOSE INTERROGATION,

ULM’ft TESTIMONY

(Australian Press Association,) (Received 8.33 a.m.) ■SYDNEY, May 20

When the air inquiry was resumed ■today, Mr J, H. Hammond, K.C., disclosed that a number of anonymous letters bearing on the Southern Cross forced landing had been received, but no notice would be taken of those. Lieutenant Ulm, in the witness box, stated that the London flight was financed by Squadron-Leader Kingston! Smith and himself. It was not backed by Australian Airways, Limited.

Witness was questioned by Mr Hammond about Captain Chateau’s telegram received the day (before tho flight: “Wea/ther fine. Drying wind Further advice later.”

“Did you regard that as a final 0.K.?” inquired Mr Hammond, to which witness replied: “We regarded" that wire, in conjunction with wires received previously, as sufficient to enable us to make a start.” Counsel: “You did not waift for later advice from Captain Chateau?”

Witness replied: “Wo feared that Captain Chateau might omit to send the final 0.K.”

Counsel: “If your aerial had been in position it would have been possible to recall you?”

Witness: “Experts tell us that was impossible, because we were too far away when Captain Chateau's final message arrived.” Questioned about the emergency radio set carried on the trans-Pacific flight, witness said that Warner, the radio operator bn that occasion, described it as “so much junk.” 'Counsel: “Then why did you describe it in your book about the flight as -a great factor in the safety of that flight?”

Witness: “I was not on oath at that time, and the wireless people had helpdd us greatly, and we were not going to turn round and tell them that their wireless goods were so much junk, just because Jilri Warner said so.”

Mr Michael Shanahan, editor of the “Plain Talk” newspaper, which commented adversely on the flight, gave evidence Ithat his article was based on rumours from the man in the street. He declared that he was now glad to dissociate -himself from such rumours.

DEPARTURE DATES UNCERTAIN.

Continuing his evidence, Lieutenant Ulm said: “In all our flights we made it a definite policy never to fix the Starting date, for the reason that this long-distance flying is not ordinary flying. We were ready to go to New Zealand 10 days before we actually went. Quite a, lot of people said we were too frightened to tackle it. Moreover, if we had got Captain Chateau’s last telegram before starting for Wyndham, we should never have started. ”

HOW THE AERIAL WENT,

Witness explained how the Southern Cross aerial was lost shortly after the flight began from Richmond. A thin strip of wood had been used to mend a broken mica window pane. When lowered, the window itself cleared the aerial catch, hut when Litchfield pushed the window down to take a sight the wooden patch fouled the catch, released it, and the aerial disappeared. Mr Hamm-ond: “Well, the gentleman who -broke that window is responsible for this inquiry.” Witness: “I do not think that,” Counsel: “Well, what’s the use of carrying an -aerial at all?” Witness: “To enable us to receive messages from where we could receive them when near -stations.”

INNUENDOES DENOUNCED

Witness described certain innuendoes about the forced landing'of the Southern -Cross as deliberate and despicable lies, adding: “I’d like to get some of those newspaper men out there for a while.” Witness declared that the party would set out on the flight again as soon as they were released from the inquiry.

RADIO MAN’S OPINION,

KINGSFORD -SMITH JUSTIFIED,

FICKLE PUBLIC,

(Par Press Association. —Copyright > WELLINGTON, This Lay. Mr Stannage, who was wireless operator for Captain Holden on the Canberra when he rescued SquadronLeader Smith, is norV wireless opera- | tor on the Manuka, which is ih port, i Interviewed with reference to the j force landing of the Southern Cross, ho said it was very disappointing that ! the Australian public did not stand by their heroes. He characterised the wireless equipment of the Southern Cross as of the best, with nothing ito equal it in the Southern Hemisphere, and said that Kingston! Smith was right in putting the emergency transmitting Set off the plane to safe height ih such a venture as his.

In regal’d to the lost aerial, lie could not understand why Kingsford Smith did mot snv at the inquiry that the Southern Gross could not possiblv have received the message, as it was impossible to cut out the noise of the firing plugs. Kingsford Smith knew perfectly well that, no message could be received on the •Southern Cross.

Mr Stannage emphasised the quality of the Southern Cross set, and the faet that Captain Holden predicted from the Southern Cross messages in flight ,tha|t the party would be found , where they were found.