AN INTENSIVE SEARCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 27

AN INTENSIVE SEARCH.

NO TRACE OF ’PLANE OR MEN. BLENHEIM, January 12. Captain Buckley left Blenheim at 10.42 a.m. to carry out a search over the prearranged patrol area. He returned at 1.50, after three hours and eight minutes’ search, round Cape Jackson, over Stephen and Kapiti Islands, to Foxton and back. The visibility at sea was not good. He saw no trace of the missing ’plane or the airmen.

SEARCH OVER LAND AREA.

ANOTHER ’PLANE ORDERED. WELLINGTON, January 12. The Minister of Defence has ordered another aeroplane to leav e Christchurch for Trentham, to make a search of the surrounding country. In accordance with the Minister’s request, Captain Findlay, in D.H. 50. a survey machine, left Wigram aerodrome at 11 o’clock for Trentham, arriving there at about 1.30. After refilling he will begin a search of the west coast of the North Island, the Tararua ranges, and the surrounding country.

STEAMER TOIA AT SLA.

NOTHING SIGHTED

WELLINGTON. January 12. A report from the tug Toia at 8.35 a.m stated that she was 39deg 38min south and 173 deg 45min east. The wind was east and fresh. There was a moderate sea. Visibility was good, but nothing was sighted.

SEARCH BY WARSHIPS. AUCKLAND, January 12. The warship Dunedin sailed in search of the airmen shortly after noon. WELLINGTON ,January 12 Th e Minister of Defence (Mr F. J. Rolleston) announced to-night that H.M.S. Diomede would leave Auckland at 11 a.m to-day and would steam at 24 knots per hour to join H.M.S. Dunedin at the pleace of search. The Dunedin is due to arrive this morning at the point from which signals were last supposed to have been heard. It is explained that the crews of both ships were on leave until to-morrow, and that is. why it was impossible to despatch them earlier.

NO TRACE AT CAPE FAREWELL.

holiday party investigating. WELLINGTON, January 12. lhe following telegram was received by Mr E. C. Jack, of Wellington, from Mr A. L. Hunt, who is spending a holiclay in the vicinity of Farewell Spit:— A search my myself and Messrs E. C. Anderson and H. R. Young (borough engineer of Westport) for 15 miles on the north side of Farewell Spit for traces of the airmen was without avail.” The message was sent from Collingwood.

PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT.

REPLY TO MR COATES. . WELLINGTON, January 12. Replying to a statement reported to hav e been made by Mr Coates at Whangarei to the effect that he had informed the aviators that he considered their plans were ill-prepared, Mr M‘Nicol one of the trustees of th e Tasman flight fund said he had no desire to involve Mr Coates in any public controversy, as he quite appreciated his good spirit towards the men and his desire for their safety. Mr M'Nicol says, however, that it is somewhat unfair to the aviators and those most closely connected with the venture to state that their plans were ill-pre-pared. To his certain knowledge the only conversation held by Mr Coates with the aviators was a few minutes before they sailed for Sydney. Mr Coates did not discuss the plans of the expedition with the aviators, or certainly not to such an ex ;® nt , as - to i ustif y statement. Mr M'Nicol went on to say: “ In connection with the flight, the people require to realise that Lieutenant Moncrieff has lived for it for many years. It has been nis passion, since he earned his wings, to fly the Tasman, and he has studied every point m connection with it. If h e is safe as we all hope he is, he will be the Lindbergh of New Zealand. Captain Hood is also a qualified airman, and was fully recommended by the Director of Air Services, whil e Captain Kight exerased considerable foresight in connection , the So far as could be judged, the machine had every safety appliance and was in every way capable

of the venture. There is also one important point to remember, and on this Mm Moncrieff and Mrs Hood place very great reliance—that both Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood are very capable men of war experience, and are not likely to lose their heads when in difficulty. If / oun A themselves in a tight corner they had the courage and resource to face it and it was with this knowledge of their capabilities that the backers sup ported them in the venture.”