RETURN OF AIRMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21357, 5 December 1932, Page 10

RETURN OF AIRMAN

MI?. CHICHESTER'S PLANS EXPERIENCES ON LAST FLIGHT CANNIBAL COUNTRY COVERED [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN COIIHESrONDKNT] \VELLIXOTON, Sunday An interesting account of his experiences since lie- left New Zealand in March last year on a transtasman flight, via Norfolk and Lord Ilowe Islands, was given by Mr. F. C. Chichester, who returned from England by the IRuahine yesterday. After recovering from the worst of the injuries he, receive ! when he crashed in Japan, Mr. Chichester went to England and recuperated in Devonshire, lie has come back looking fit and well. Mr. Chichester said his flight from Australia to Japan was most interesting, especially the trip over the head burners territory in New Guinea.' r I he remarkable feature of that part of the flight was the formation of the country in the interior, which appeared to bo in drains and ridges, evidence possibly of an ancient civilisation. As he was flying solo, however, his photographs were not very good, but he had sent one to the Royal Geographical Society, which intended to make investigations. Cannibals in Prison Before ho undertook the flight over New Guinea Mr. Chichester was warned that in the event of a forced landing it would be only a matter of hours before ho was eaten by cannibals. Ho cariied a pistol, but fortunately had no trouble on the flight. While at Merauke, on the coast of New Guinea, he saw some cannibals in prison. They belonged to hill tribes, which were in the habit of coming down to the low country and canying off anyono they could. The authorities did not execute those who were caught, but j-ave them a term of imprisonment. From New Guinea Mr. Chichester went to the Aru Islands, lying to the west,and then on io the Spice Islands. As he was flying a seaplane, ho was able to visit many ports and rivers where a flying macliine had not previously been seen. A seaplane was essential for such a flight, he said, although it was harder to flv and entailed a colossal amount of maintenance, in addition to reducing range. Machine Completely Wrecked

The next- stage of the leisurely journey was to the Philippine Islands, then on to Formosa, Shanghai and Japan. Up to this point Mr. Chichester had had a certa;n amount of engine trouble, but no serious mishap. It was while he was tinling the Japanese town of Katsura that his machine ran into a number of telephone wires stretched between two hills and nosedived into the ground from a height of 150 f- lie received numerous injuries and the seaplane was completely wrecked. Skilful medical treatment by a Japanese! doctor soon had him out of danger, and within a month he had recovered sufficiently to leave for England, where he settled down quietly at Devonshire and wrote a book on his transtasman flight. Mr. Chichester said he proposed to write another book on the (light from Australia to Japan, and in the meantime would not do any serious flying. Mr. Chichester said that when he set out from Australia he bad in mind a solo flight over Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Iceland to England, and if the opportunity offered in the future to make such a trip he would not hesitate to undertake it. While' in England Mr. Chichester met Wing-Commander S. Grant-Dalton, formerly Director of Air Services in New Zealand, who said ho hoped to return to the Dominion if circumstances permitted.