WHITE AIR-GODS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17229, 8 April 1930, Page 6

WHITE AIR-GODS

STRANGE ADVENTURE SIR ROSS AND KEITH SMITH NATIVES WOULD NOT MOVE. The tale of a strange adventure expericneed on an historic long-distance flight was told by an Australian airman at present visiting New Zealand. Probably the incident has never been made public before. The Australian is personally acquainted with Messrs. David Smith and Walter Shiers, who will shortly recommence their flight to England from Wyndham, in an attempt io establish another record.

The Australian said that the story was told to him and other flying men by Sergeant Shiers after the flight of the now famous Smith brothers, in ’the Vickers-Vimy biplane, which is now in the War Memorial Museum at Sydney. The :vene of ihe adventure was not disclosed.

An emergency forced Sir Ross Smith to seek a landing hurriedly in an out-of-the-way place. The airmen saw what appeared to be a clearing dotted with tree stumps, which, however, turned out to he natives. The surrounding country was forbidding for landing purposes, so tin* ’plane made a low circle, only to find that the natives did not move. They seemed to be rooted to the ground. NATIVES INJURED IN LANDING. Although apprehensive about landing amongst strangers, the airmen recognised that there was no, alternative to landing at once. To the alarm of the airmen the natives did not stir, apparently being overcome with fea'r and wonder. As the ’plane was landing one or two natives were seriously injured, to the distress of the crew. The ’plane stopped after a long run, and a white missionary or trader hurried to the ’plane, exclaiming, “You have seriously injured some natives. It will go hard with you unless we can act at once. 1 will have to explain that you are gods, for the natives think the ’plane is a bird.” Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, in a whirl, accompanied the white man on the strange mission to the chieftain, leaving Shiers and Bennett in the cockpit, out of sight. The natives were in a hubbub of excitement, and pressed furtively in a circle some distance from the ’plane. Shiers and Bennelt were in* a dilemma, with no one able to interpret and no idea as to what course to follow. ACCIDENT EXPLAINED AWAY.

After a while, noticing no apparent life, the natives pressed close to. .the “bird.” and commenced to clamber over it Shiers and Bennett “had the wind up. ’ not wanting to risk the consequence:; of being seen. They armed themselves with spanners, and, keeping oui of sight, struck the knuckles and skulls of the natives to keep them from entering tlie cockpit. They were beginning to think that all was up with them when the Smith brothers and their advocate returned with the chieftain. 1 he accident had been explained away. T he airmen were gods, and the injuries had been the result of a visitation of wrath from the huge god bird. So soon did the natives forget the accident that they even assisted the airmen to take off from the boggy ground. The Australian declined to name the country in which the adventure occurred, and would not permit his name to be used. “That is the substance of the lui oint given to myself and others by Shiers soon after he arrived in Sydney.” ho said. ‘ '