THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1929. THE FLIERS SAFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1929. THE FLIERS SAFE.

Profound relief will everywhere greet the news of the safety of the airmen of the Southern Cross. When they set out on this venture they had already established themselves in the admiring affection of countless hearts by their exploits, and it was hoped that they would continue to triumph over all the hazards of flight and to lend their splendid aid to the development of aviation. When there was reason to fear that they had met an untimely fate, admiration was undiminished, while affection held them even more dear. The hope that they might be still safe, somewhere behind the silence, fought with the strengthening apprehension of fatal disaster. It was not easy to think of them as no longer alive to wing their way across broad spaces of land and sea. so much had they accomplished and so bravely skilful were they. It was not easy, indeed, to think, when they set, out from Sydney for England, by a route that others had traversed in a measure of safety before them, that they could fail. Least of nil was it thought that, ere they left the bounds of the Australian continent, they would encounter any serious obstacle. True, Australia's northland had been the scene of misfortunes to other airmen. T!opr Smith and his brother Keith, Hinkler and Cobham all had a share of trouble in it. each of those three southward flights from Darwin being interrupted by forced landings and delays that aroused anxiety. A remembrance of these things, however, did not destroy the confidence placed in the Southern Cross and her men. Their craft had weathered every earlier test, severe as pach had been ; they themselves were known to be expert above the average: and Kingsford Smith, their leader, had experience of the, region. How great were the risks they ran has since been impressively realised, and the thrill of joy at their escape from death is afte>r these twelve days of deepening anxiety all the more intense. No wonder there have, been great outbursts of rejoicing over their safety. Hearts cannot be human that are unmoved by the news.

The story of thejr misfortunes, as it has been read from the summarised messages sent from their 'plane when their first objective should have been reached but was tragically missed, is one not likely to be forgotten. It tells of their looking for Wyndham in vain after losing their bearings in a rainstorm; of eight hours of blind battling in the thick weather, with petrol getting low and doubt of making their objective taking fast hold of them. Somewhere near they believed themselves to be, yet still Wyndham eluded them behind the thick veil of cloud all about. There came into view the mouth of a river—but what river? North-west thcv turned through the clinging haze over the land ; then south-west. No sign of human habitation lifted anywhere through the lifts in the haze. To come down through that obscuring mist in so wild and forbidding a tract was to court death, and all that could be done was to fly on, if perchance a landing might be made on some beach. Suddenly what looked like a lone mission-station came in sight, and they threw down a hurried message, got; an indication, no more, of their whereabouts, and turned eastward to make Wyndham. Could it be done"! The distance was too great. Back on their southwest course they went, hoping for the beach landing that somewhere there might bring them succour from their plight. Wearied with the twenty-seven hours and more of the journey—ten of these hours spent in profitless struggle with the clutching clouds —they peered for the succouring beach : and ever the haze clung and no sign came, and the petrol-gauge went harrowingly lower. At last the forced landing could be no longer deferred, whatever it meant, and the hazard had to be faced. Lower they flew and still lower ; and then, as is now happily known, a river entrance offered some semblance of the succour they sought. Down, down they went, and providentially found for their alighting a mudbank that broke the dreaded impact. Their craft damaged and their wireless put out of action, and all about them wild and desolate, they looked in each other's faces, glad to be alive.

Another epic, whoso full story has not yet. been told, has thus been added to (he records of airmanship, and in its wake has come the story of the search and discovery, a. story of splendid daring and endurance.

Nothing has been grudged, neither money nor time nor hardship, and the reward of the seekers is won already in the finding of what they sought—tho four airmen safe and we!!. And, whatever remains yet to be told, this now is satisfyingly certain —the intrepid four have not failed. Hope has been justified. Faith in their courage and skill has been confirmed. They live to resume their flight and io follow still the career (hey have chosen. This brave band, two of them with a brilliant record of oceanic flight across half a world, and all of them renowned because of their deeds in Australasian aviation, holds its comradeship unbroken. For once the term Australasian has substantial meaning: across the Tasman, first flown by these courageous pioneers, there stretch the hands of a renewed kinship. In the messages of solicitude and thanksgiving that have passed there has been spoken a shared pride in these men of the southern Dominions. The leagues of tumbling sea between may continue to divide development of nationhood, but above them and the whirling eddies of air the hearts of Australians and New Zealanders sense an undisturbed fellowship. Elsewhere, across the world, there will bo rejoicing; but here there is a pride, and thanksgiving beyond what, others know.