KYEEMA CRASH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 29 November 1938, Page 8

KYEEMA CRASH

COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED GOVERNMEXT BEAM ED I United Press At-suciatioul MELBOURNE, 28th November. After 21 days' hearing the evidence in tlie Kyeema crash inquiry ended today and counsels’ addresses began. Mr Leo Little, for the air pilots’ and Navigators’ Institute, blamed the Federal Government for the crash. He condemned the administration of the civil aviation control, alleging that beacons could have been operating six or 1 • months ago. He charged the administration with a certain amount of looseness, maladministration and lack oi co-ordination. Mr Little suggeste 1 that the Minister of Civil Aviatiqp, Mr Thorby, be called to ex plain bis decision nut to call tenders for beacons, and tlie delays in the purchase or hire of a machine for tests. Mr Little’s request was considered by the committee, which announced that tlie supply of beacons had not been delayed. The failure to call for tenders was nj reason for calling Mr Thorby. Continuing, Mr Little said that the unfortunate pilot would never have had to make the decision he did and that “these people would be alive to-day if there had been a beacon. The curse of i‘ is that the beacon could have been functioning six or 12 months ago.”