Familiarity Breeding Contempt Caused Crash

Northern Advocate, 6 August 1949, Page 7

Familiarity Breeding Contempt Caused Crash

NEWS IN -BRIEF

"I fear that familiarity which breeds contempt led to the accident,” said the coroner (Mr W. A. Harlow, S.M.), at an inquest yesterday into the deaths of four people which occurred when a Percival Proctor aircraft crashed at the Invercargill airport on June 5. The victims were Neal Cook Sutherland, pilot oflthe machine, his wife, Gwenda Margaret Ann Sutherland, David William Farquharson and Richard Ernest Mansfield,’ all of Dunedin. The coroner added that Sutherland was in sole control of the machine at the time of the accident. The aircraft, which was in sound condition, had attempted a manoeuvre that could not be undertaken . safely at the speed and height which it had attained. The machine had been loaded in excess of .the total authorised and the manoeuvre attempted was not of a kind that was prudent for the type of aircraft. He found that the victims died as a result of the injuries they suffered in the crash, *"•*.* * Behind a rickety old shop front at 81 Shortland Street, signs of early Auckland, including part of Ihe stone wall of Fort Britomart, have been found by a man who is renovating the building. He believes the place is over 100 years old. Standing intact is a big brick fireplace and at the back of the premises are remains of , a courtyard and ornamental fountain, which still has a water supply pipe connected. Beneath layers of wallpaper are newspaper sheets dating back to 1858 and an Auckland concert programme of 1862.

Four veterinary surgeons, Messrs N. C. Chivers, L. F. Rees. J. L. 'McGregor and A. J. Hodgson, arrived in the Tamaroa at Auckland from England yesterday. They are joining the' Veterinary Service Council field stall in answer to Government advertisements. Mr Chivers said the use of penicillin in the treatment of mastitis in dairy cattle and the treatment of infertility with new hormones were two of the latest developments in English veterinary science. Mr Rees and Mr Hodgson are accompanied by their wives. Squadron-Leader J. J. de WiilimotT, D. formerly commander of No. 14 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, in Japan, returned to Auckland from England yesterday.. He attended a six months’ course in air armaments. * * * * Captain of one of the first three Royal New Zealand Air Force air crews in the Berlin air lift, FlightLieutenant D. J. Phillips returned to Auckland with his engineer. Flight Sergeant L. G. Woods, in the Tamaroa from England yesterday. The crew Hew from an .airfield in the Britishoccupied zone of Germany. They carried -varied cargoes, though in later stages they transported mainly coal to Berlin. They also brought from Berlin on occasions German-made electrical goods.

The first holder of a research scholar: ship awarded by the New Zealand Federation of University Women arrived at Auckland by the Tamaroa yesterday to investigate geographic settlements of New Zealand's sparselypopulated areas. She is Miss Eila Campbell, M.A., lecturer in geography at the University of London. *** * *

A married man. Mr Hiroa Mariu, 21, had his right hand almost severed between the thumb and the forefinger while operating at a sawbench in the Hutt Timber and Hardware Company’s mill at Manunui. After medical attention in an effort to save the hand, Mr Mariu was admitted to the Taumarunui Hospital. *** 1 *

The Ruamala sawmill,, at National Park, owned by C. P. and P. D. Smith, Ltd., was destroyed by fire last night. No timber was burned, but all the machinery and plant were lost. * * * • * «5«

Notice of his intention to ask for leave to introduce the Auckland Harbour Development Bill, which will pave the way for the Auckland Harbour Board to embark on its big scheme for the establishment of port facilities on the southern shore of the upper Waitemata Harbour, was given by the Minister of Marine (Mr Hacked) in the House of Representatives yesterday. The bill vests in the board some 6900 acres of the harbour bed.

A traffic inspector in court' at Papakura yesterday described how he had to travel between 70 and 80 miles an hour before he could catch a motorist who was speeding in the restricted area in Papakura on June 11. The motorist, Robert Edward Buckland, a farmer, was fined £lO, with 12/- costs. j;: * * $ Two ewes on the farm of Mr G. H. Jew, of Ngaruawahia, have produced seven lambs, one giving birth to four and the other three. The ewes and all the lambs are healthy. » * # • The sudden disappearance of a cow that he was leading to fresh grazing was perplexing enough to Mr L. Tuffery, a farmer, at Bell Block, Taranaki, yesterday, but even more perplexing was the problem of recovering the animal when it was found to have fallen 20ft to the bottom of a disused well. Fortunately for the cow, there was no water in the well, but the fact that it was firmly wedged presented a problem which was only solved by enlisting the aid of a firm of well sinkers. Ropes were got around the animal and it was hauled to the surface, shaky arid stiff, but otherwise unharmed, after four hours below ground.