DISQUIETING STORIES IN SYDNEY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 17 January 1928, Page 5

DISQUIETING STORIES IN SYDNEY

DEFECTIVE NAVIGATING INSTRUMENTS. ATTEMPT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED SHARP CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENTS :; -flu '. ■ j ■ y ; ;' v (By El«ctrlo Telegraph—Copyright) (Auitralian * N.Z. Cable Awociation) , ' (Received 17th Jan., 10.50 a.m;) . . SYDNEY, This Day. The "Morning Herald" in.a leader on the Tasman flight says ' that there havo been disquieting stories of Uie ill-condi- -.-.' tk>n of the slups {navigating instruments, ,-" and-it. is said that the Zealand / airmen were preased.-at Richmond .to delay r the 'flight untileverything had ■ : \\beea , tiioroughly-'tested,''bufc' they would - : . not listen to argument. If the stories H are true, and if the/machine's. instruv mehts were : defective, the airmen should not have Ibeeri-.. allowed to leave. The - Federal Government afforded assistance to. the.extent' Air Force ■- mechanics 'would far as possible , that the marline/was airworthy before it took.off■ bn : ,'tliat'flight." - • • The^lferaid'^aßk's: . "How can' a '.'"— m*sm^eube.'considered' airworthy if its ■ '. .navigating instruments are ' l<b'-, continues ri?(i'-' 'This criticism is not -uttered-'against.. the -officers and . mechanics at Richmond, who did their •','<..! -utmost.:; The* New..ZealanderS: rejected ' professional advice which they; were given on the; poihjt, ' but ' soiue' inquiry. and a report seem to-be.demanded be- : * cause the furflfer. question, arises whether in; thbae'circunistahces. the Govern- . meats the .embargo should '; not: have reimposed &';-.!.' Truth' ,or ••:j otherwise, • the,-rumours "-referred to ought, if in' justice only- to our own air : ib>ce,'be set at rest. Had, they been ■■i:' current so as to arouse'_ thesedesperate suspicions before the flight 'began, the " local demand would i have /been' ; unanimbus that it should J have been fdrbid- .;; den. Both the-Comnjbnwealth and'New / , Zealand:Governments.were in a degree :.; • responsible. , "They ; condoned passively ;;V thej general. recklessness of the venture. .'" l '?bey shouldhaveprohibited the flight, but- the- New Zealand Government responded to representations'from local interests on behalf of the airmen, and 'the .'Australian'government Jilted Jts i." ban out of -courtesy to the New Zea- •. land/Government's request. Each G - ■. i; vemmentwashed its hands :of the' reand the airmen wereiaUowed -. ; to; fly on 'their own gamblers' judgment ..' oh the principle that it was their own risk. > we maintain that with official : . ••: conitol' of fflying all Government■: responsibility is not so easily disowned—- -' that is at least the" moral -view f of the \ affair, and a local. inquiry; - should "en- . force'very salutary lessons.". .