AIR SAFETY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23196, 16 November 1938, Page 16

AIR SAFETY

KYEEMA INQUIRY . i . 11 UNEXPECTED TURN COMMITTEE MEMBER WANTED AS WITNESS By Telegraph—-Press Association— Copyright (Received November 18, 10.40 p.m.) MELBOURNE. Nov. 15 There was an unexpected development in the inquiry into the Kyeema disaster to-day, when Mr. R. Sholl, counsel for Australian National Airways, owners of the Kyeema, stated that Mr. D. Ross, one of the permanent members of the Air Accidents Investigation Committee, who is also superintendent of flying operations for the Civil Aviation Board,, should not be a member of the inquiry if certain matters were to be investigated. Mr. Sholl, who said Mr. Ross should be available for cross-examination, added that he had been rebuked by the Controller-General of Civil Aviation, Captain E. C. Johnston, for his attitude of hostility to Australian National Airways. If the matter of the company's maintenance manual was to be gone into, it had involved interviews between members of the company and Mr. Ross, who therefore should give evidence and be cross-examined. "If the committee takes the view that it cannot sit without one particular member an application might be made retrospective for the tution of the committee," continued Mr. Sholl. "Mr. Ross was directly concerned in disputes over manuals and the matter of pilots starting in bad weather!" -> .A "ter further discussion, this aspect of the inquiry was adjourned for consideration of Mr. Sholl's submissions.