COMBING THE RANGES.

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

COMBING THE RANGES.

AIRMEN’S FUTILE SEARCH. WELLINGTON, January 13. A large search organisation commenced to-day to comb the Tararuas and all the rough country about the Rimutakas and other ranges where it is possible the missing aviators may have come down, supposing that they actually did efiect the crossing of the Tasman. Much of the ground has been undertaken by the Tararua Tramping Club, ana parties are out also from Levin, Featherston, and Masterton. It is believed that fully 100 men are already on the hills, and many of the parties will be out for two days. A number of Rovers (senior scouts) are included among the searchers, and experienced bushmen are also operating-

Captain Buckley and Captain Findlay continued their aeroplane hunts for the missing men this morning, and returnea to their bases with nothino’ to report. Both covered wide areas. Captain Buckley did the coast south, and this aftetr noon goes north as far as Egmont.

CAPTAIN BUCKLEY’S CRUISE.

ENGINE TROUBLE FORCES RETURN, BLENHEIM, January 13. Owing to the absence from Wellington of Major Wilkes, Director of Air Services, no instructions had been received by Captain Buckley up to late last night iu connection with the continuation of the aerial search for the Tasman flyers. At 7 o’clock this morning the captain succeeded in getting into touch with Major Wilkes by telephone. He then received orders to leave Blenheim and fly to Cape Farewell, turning there and flying southward around the coast as far as Karamea, and returning direct to Blenheim.

At the conclusion of this patrol Cap tain Buckley has been ordered to fly to New Plymouth, a distance of about 473 miles by air line from Blenheim. As his fuel supply will not be sufficient for return to Blenheim he will probably land at Trentham. Considerable time was spent this morning going over the De Haviland and making adjustments to the engine, which did not function too well in the latter portion of yesterday’s flight. The cruise to Farewell and the northern portion of the West Coast of the South Island was commenced at 11.10 this morning.

BLENHEIM, January 13

Captain Buckley took off at 11’10 this morning to do the Farewell-Karamea-Blenheim patrol as arranged but was forced to return to the base at 12.20 p.m., after being up for a little over an hour. The engine of the ’plane was not going too well when Captain Buckley and his mate left, but they carried on, thinking it would improve as the flight progressed, but it got worse. Difficulty was experienced in clearing the hills west of Blenheim as the ’plane would not climb and obtain sufficient height. Had tha engine been functioning well Captain Buckley would have shaped a course from over Tophouse to New Plymouth, as tha visibility was excellent over the North Island. On the way home the engine was very rough, and it is being overhauled carefully this afternoon. Orders are now being awaited, and these wil* decide whether the machine is to stay in Blenheim until a favourable opportunity for doing the Karamea trip presented itself or proceed to New Plymouth and Trentham.

CAPTAIN FINDLAY LEAVES TRENTHAM.

SEARCH DELAYED BY ENGINE TROUBLE.

WELLINGTON. January 13. The sky is somewhat cloudy, but tha weather is fine. Captain Findlay got away from Trentham at 9.55 a.m. to resume his aeroplane search over tha Tararuas, but was forced to return at 12.20 owing to engine trouble. Tha visibility was bad.

THE LAST SIGNALS.

MACHINE 100 MILES FROM WEL LINGTON.

WELLINGTON, January 13. Further calculations by radio men, basei on the last signals, are that at 5.30 p.rtu the machine was only 100 miles awaf from Wellington.

A FALSE REPORT.

INVESTIGATED BY - POLICE. WELLINGTON, January 13. At about 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon the Petone polic e received word that what was thought to be the missing aeroplane could be seen in the Horokiwi hills, near the Government trig station, between Porirua and Trentham. Constable Macnamara proceeded to investigate, and after a rather warm tramp over several miles of hilly country, found the “ aeroplane ”• to be a patch of bare clay, which, although not by any means freshly formed, had not previously' been noted by local residents.

STATEMENT OF MAXWELL RESIDENT.

POSITIVE HE SAW A ’PLANE. WANGANUI, January 13. Mr William Henry Winter, a tablet porter at Maxwell, called on the chief postmaster at Wanganui to-day, and gavtf

lhe following sworn statement regarding teeing a ’plane on Tuesday evening:—“ I was at my residence, about two miles from the sea, at Maxwell railway, on January 10. I saw an aeroplane for two or three minutes, losing sight of it at 8.35 p.m. by my watch, which was correct. I am a tablet porter in the railways. My wife and three children, aged 16, 14, and 11, also saw the ’plane. It was some distance out to sea, and appeared as a dark streak travelling fast, and was very clear against a bright sky when first seen, the sun having set very shortly before. It wag heading for about Paekakariki. and we Jost sight of it as it passed a background of dark clouds. We have seen aeroplanes pass -our place both ways on former occasions, but always nearer than this one. I realise how important this statement may be, in view of the search now being made for the airmen.” Mr Winter, interviewed, said he was positive that what he saw was not a bird <sr a flock of birds, because the object was travelling too fast, and he was familiar with the difference. The ’plane was too far away to enable the observers to hear its engine. Immediately after seeing the ’planej he communicated with the district traffic manager of railways at Wanganui md reported the matter.

A REPORT FROM MANUKAU.

HEARD THE DRONE OF A ’PLANE. WELLINGTON. January 13. The following reports have been received by the General Post Office: — From the chief postmaster, Wanganui: “ I am advised that Mr Campbell and five ethers at Maxwell saw an aeroplane at 8.40 p.m. on Tuesday. I expect CampDell here shortly to make a sworn statement, when I jyvill confirm.” The postmistress at Manakair (15 miles north of Paekakariki) has received a comE. Kilgour, as follows: —“ We, the undersigned, do hereby declare that on the night of Tuesday, at about 11.45 o’clock, we distinctly heard the drone of an aeroplane passing down the Waitohu Valley. Our attention was drawn to the matter by a number of calves in a small paddock close to our house, stampeding and roaring.” The postmistress adds: Waitohu Valley is situated between Manakau and Otaki, and is also known as South Manakau road. Mr R. B. Kilgour is known to me personally, and is quite reliable. He was at one tim e secretary of the Farmers’ Union at Marton. His farm is some three miles from the main road, and is not subject to motor traffic.” J

THREE WATCHERS AT HOROKIWI

A RED GLOW VISIBLE. WELLINGTON, January- 13. Charles Alexander Kiddy, of Petone, states: “I am a machinist and reside at Horokiwi. On Tuesday I was on top of the Horokiwi road, looking out for the aeroplane. From where I was I could see the Straits and the outline of the South Island My wife and my brother-in-law were also watching. We were also running in and out of the house, listening to a wireless description of the flight from I rentham. We heard on the wireless that the plane had been sighted off Stephen’s Island. We then went out to keep up our. watch, and saw a red glow towards the straits. It kept fading and brightenlng J Up rr, and a PP ear ed to be travelling towards Trentham. It would be about 10 or 12 miles away from where I was standing. I could not hear any sound of a motor. The machine appeared to be due west of my house, and looked to me as if it was travelling along the range of hills going backwards and forwards. I had the glow i n -view from about 9.15-p.m. to 10 p.m. I did not see the outline of the plane. I made sure it was going to pass over my place, and I set fire to a patch of gorse to give the aviators an idea ol they were. I am of opinion that . it was the ’plane I saw, it crashed m one of the gullies near the coast line as I saw it tacking up and down the range. I thought they were looking for a place to land.” °

VIEW FROM MOUNT VICTORIA.

BOY’S STORY SUPPORTED.

mi. WELLINGTON, January 13. Other observers now Corroborate the story that the ’plane was seen from Mount Victoria, above Wellington. It is asserted that it was plainly visible over Island «i ay ’vn n< ’ beaded north, passing behind the hills to westward, which would coinpSk«TariM he °' iU »•

It is positively alleged that 50 people or inore saw it and raised loud cheers.

AEROPLANE NOISE AUDIBLE.

PROCEEDING INLAND FROM OTAKI.

... OTAKI, January 13. A local resident of standing says that he and his wif e distinctly heard the aeroplane pass over, going in the direction of Martinborough. They are willing to sign an affidavit to this effect.

MESSAGE FROM. WEST COAST.

RUMOUR INVESTIGATED. WESTPORT, January 13. A report having been received that something resembling wreckage was floating in the sea near Cape Foulwind, and that smoke was rising from it, Mr Curtis, secretary and manager of. Westport Harbour, and Captain Tointon, assistant harbourmaster, investigated with a steam launch, but all they found was a mass of floating kelp and no sign of a fire. Reports that a ’plane had been seen from Denniston, Tauranga Bay, and Karamea were also investigated without result

MESSAGE FROM THE KAIWARRA.

MASTER. REITERATES HIS STATE-

MENTS.

SYDNEY, January 13. The master of the steamer Kaiwarra, in a wireless message to the Sun newspaper, reiterates the statement that he saw an aeroplane at 11 o’clock on Tuesday night. The machine was then circling in the vicinity of Porirua. It was in sight for three or four minutes, then disappeared behind a cloud, flying eastward. The Kaiwarra at this time was near the Brothers Light in Cook Strait.

PARTIES OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS

ROUGH COUNTRY TO BE SCOURED. WELLINGTON, January 13. The public feeling that the missing aviators may have landed in some remote portion of the shaggy ranges which fold in on each other from Trantham to the Rimutakas and Tararuas is still strong, and in view of the fact that an aerial survey of the terrain is being undertaken by the Defence Department, the members of the Tararua Tramping Club have acceded to the public desire for a search of the ranges, and many parties are out. It was at first their intention to hold themselves in readiness should their services be called upon, but the fact that Mr J. Rawnsley, a tramper as well as an aviator, is accompanying the searching ’plane—he knows the country thoroughly, and is capable of giving exact directions for an aid party to reach any given spot —made it desirable that the parties should go out on the scene ready for eventualities.

Parties of trampers are out from Levin, Greytown, and Masterton. Members of .the Tararua Tramping Club are in the Akatarawa-Whakatiki district; in the district between the summit and Wairarapa Lake; in the Orongorongos, and the Tauherenikau Valley ; in the country round the summit of the Rimutaka road, both in the direction of the Summit Railway Station and towards the Tararuas; between the Akatarawa and the Hutt, and between Kaitoke and Mungaroa. A party is out from Featherston to search the high country in the direction of the Tararuas, and another party has gone to Kapakaponui, the high peak at the back of Reikeirangi. A party of Rovers (Senior Boy Scouts) is searching some portions of the high country in the Rimutakas and Mungaroas. There must in all be over 100 men out, searching at the present moment, a number of them having left yesterday, and perhaps a larger proportion early this morning. The area covered bv the Tararua Range and the other rough country surrounding Wellington comprises many hundreds of square miles, and it is particularly difficult country. The aim of the searchers is to reach the high locations, from which large areas of the country may be scanned. It is impossible to send searchers everywhere, and an effort has been made to reach points giving a view of as much country as possible. The parties which are out have received instructions, in the event of their coming across the missing aviators, to send back to civilisation at least two of their ablest and fastest men, so that a relief party, which is ready and waiting the call, can go out with medical assistance, ambulance, and all equipment that may be necessary to bring the aviators back as quickly as possible. Drs Alan Park and Harold Corkill have proffered their services, and the Wellington Free Ambulance has a motor ready. In addition to the trampers a number of men with bush experience is equipped and ready to go out if required at short notice. Each party out searching is under the charge of a competent man, with a sound knowledge of the countiy. There is always a risk of separation, and accidents, in such searches, but every precaution has been taken to avoid such happenings. It is expected that a great number of the parties will be out at least two days. It must be admitted that there is a vast arep of rough country in which it is quite possible the aviators may have landed which the searchers will not be able to touch. To comb' the whole area in a thorough fashion from Wellington Heads to. the Tararuas could not be accomplished without the employment of many hundreds of searchers.

LAND AND SEA EFFORTS.

CHANCES CONSIDERED SMALL.

WELLINGTON, January 13. The search for the missing airmen continues, and is to-day more extensive and intensive than yesterday—by airplane, by cruisers, and tug, and by a number cl land parties—but there is no news whatever, though many of those who reported seeing or hearing the machine stick to the very word and letter of their original stories.

The attitude of those connected with the venture tends towards the belief- that the machine was never within many miles of the New Zealand coast. It is- possib-e that the men are afloat either on their ’plane or in the pitifully small collapsible rubber boat, and scouting airplan'', cruiser, tug, or passing steamer may find them in time.

The landing speed of such a machine is high—4o to 50 miles an hour as a minimum:—and only a miracle could >a-ve the men from serious injury in a landing in bad country. It is highly improbable that the machine could have alighted to levei ground unless on an out-of-the-way sea beach, for level land in New Zealand is farming land. An emergency “ pancake ” landing would drop the machine practically vertically from a low height above the ground, but the machine would be inevitably smashed, and the airmen could

scarcely escape injury. It is now almost three days since such a landing coil'd have been made. '

To-day the Diomede left Auckland to join the Dunedin and the Toia in the sea search.

The Tararua Club Trampers and many private people have joined in a final land effort in a fine spirit of doing what they can, even though the chances are now very small. The two airplanes from Christchurch, operating from Blenheim and Trentham, went out this morning.

CAPTAIN FINDLAY’S RETURN.

NOTHING TO REPORT.

WELLINGTON, January 13. Captain Findlay, upon his return tc Ti entham at 12.25 p.m. to-day, stated that the clouds were very low this morning. He first searched the basin of the Whakatiki Stream, but the clouds were too low to ‘-nable him to get to the coast. He then flew over the hills to Porirua and over the coast line there, and from there he proceeded to Reikorangi, and searched the various valleys in the vicinity. He then flew over the ridge and the hills as far as Levin, thence «' the coast, and then all over the barren sandhill area almost up to Wanganui. Oh the way back to Paekakariki he imth a thorough search of the hills in that neighbourhood, going as far as the clouds would permit. From there he flew back to Porirua, and thence to Trentham. The result of the flight was that he had nothing to t sport.

WARSHIPS SEND MESSAGES.

CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE.

Wellington; January is. This afternoon the Minister of Defence received the following wireless message from Commodore Swabey: “H.M.S. Dun edin passed through positions lat. 38.20 S., long. 169.40 E., at a quarter cast 9 this morning, and is steering 210 deg at 24 knots. Weather perfect for search at present calm sea, and maximum visibility. On reaching latitude of Cape FareweP in tend to search to north and west of present area. x Diomede has been directed to lat. 37deg S.. long. 171.30 E., at daylight on Saturday and to search an area between that position and lat. 38.20 S., lone. 169.40 E., Cape Egmont” The last radio report to be received from the tug Toia, which is searching for the missing airplane in the vicinity of Cape Esrmont, was at 5.25 p.m. yesterday. She was then 62 miles west of Cape Egmont, and stated that 'ight southerlv winds and a considerable swell were being expericiuwd, but visibility was good. The chief telegraph engineer has advised that the Toia was in communication with H.M.S. Dunedin at 8.36 a.m..to-day.

MASTERTON PARTIES OUT.

WILL SEARCH WHERE ’PLANE WAS SEEN.

MASTERTON, January 13. Two parties left Masterton this morning to search the Tarariias for the airmen, equipped with three days’ provisions, alpine tents, and stoves, and will explore the ridges from the summit to the range until Sunday night. A third party of soldier settlers from the Ngaumu settle ment left to search the Waiorongomai and Orongorongo districts, where, it was reported, a ’plane was seen on Tuesday.

A SHIPMASTER’S VIEW.

AVIATORS MAY’ HAVE LANDED IN SOUTH WESTLAND.

WELLINGTON. January 13. A shipmaster to-day expressed -the view that on Tuesday night the’weather conditions were such as to take the airmen well to the southward of their propel course for Wellington. He .suggested, as an alternative to coming down at sea, a landing somewhere in South Westland, where there are many beaches, on which it is possible for a ’plane to descend iuobserved. He and others consider :t wrong to say that the airmen were not possessed of the means to send out a radio signal in the event of a mishap with some indication of their approximate position.

PREARRANGED CALL SIGNS.

not generally known. SYDNEY, January 13. Regarding wireless signals coming from the Aotea-roa, it is stated that, though Captain Hood had only an elementary knowledge of the Morse code, and could only transmit single letters slowly, he was given a series of code letter signals consisting of from two to four letters, indicating that it was a Ryan monoplane. The call signs and interpretation code were wired to the Government radio station at Wellington, and to ships within wireless distance of Sydney and Wellington. but it was considered doubtful of any wireless operator who was not in possession of the call signs and the code signals could interpret any wireless message received as coming from the monoplane. At Richmond aerodrome, while finally attending to the engines, Lieutenant Moncriff was handed a small pocket flash lamp, which he retained. This, however, if used for signalling, would be visible only a very short distance. It could not possibly have been seen from a monoplane 3000 ft up (assuming that the airmen were using it to signal) by persons on land, unless with the aid of the most powerful night glasses. '

Air Mechanic Ward, who assisted to get the ’plane off, states that he gave Lieutenant Moncrieff two bundles of cotton waste and a length of tubing as he sat at the controls. This would enable him to saturate the waste with petrol and drop two or three flares.