OVERDUE!

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18539, 27 October 1934, Page 5

OVERDUE!

NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN SOME ANXIETY FELT MISSING IN AUSTRALIA HEAD WINDS EXPERIENCED (Klee. Tel, Copyright—United Press Ass.;*..) 'Received Oct. 27- noon.) Ctl A RLKVn.LE. On. 27. At 2 o’clock this morning, there was in. news of Squadron-Leader McGregor .anJ Mr Walker. ; They arc now five Lours overdue at Cloncurry.' Although the absence of‘news regarding the New Zealanders is sufficiently.: seriouk to have caused a certain amount of misapprehension, It is not altogether alarming. f.caving Darwin gt.9.o’clock yesterday morning, they took five hours to cover Ihe 38-t miles to ‘Newcastle Waters, their speed thus I ''being loss than 80 miles an hour. As the special aerial mail was delayed by .head winds and poor visibility, and a forced landing was made at Avon Downs, 50 miles from Oamooweal, it seems certain that the New Zealanders experienced similar conditions.

Wireless and telephone stations at many outlying places are closed down during the night, and it is impossible to communicate with certain centres until the morning. It must bo remembered that there has not been any definite report of Squadron-Leader McGregor and Mr Walker having left Brunette Downs. The air mail pilot who reported their landing at Brunette Downs merely stated that they had inquired at Brunette for the" route to Cloncurry, and did not report that they had taken Ci ft’. MONOTONOUS COUNTRY If McGregor landed after wireless communication had ceased at Brunette, and decided to remain for the night, the decision would not be known until the morning. The country between Brunette and Camooweal is monotonous and featureless, but towards Cloncurry it is rathov dangerous, and in many parts hilly, with few facilities for forced landings. Assuming that ■Squadron-Leader McGregor pushed on to Cloncurry, and that they maintained a speed of 80 miles an hour they should have covered the 350 miles in about four hours, and should, therefore, have landed at Cloncurry shortly after 9 o’clock last night. If they were forced down in the desert country they should have been able to lanfl. without serious injury, biit a forced lauding in the hilly section would be fraught with danger. Squadron-Leader McGregor and Mr Walker, flying the smallest air race machine yet to reach Australia, arrived at Darwin yesterday morning. The plane is only about the same size as the well-known Moth. COMMENT AT DARWIN Both men are pleased with their experience crossing the Timor Sea. Squadron-Leader "McGregor said they would have been in Australia on Thursday had it not been necessary to dismantle a cowling at Koepang. The pilots were more than a little tired, but a cold wash and a hot breakfast revived them.

■Squadron-Leader McGregor was very modest in describing the flight, which occupied five days 15* hours from London. “We had a very good trip,” he said, “and there were no incidents. I could do with a little sleep. Both of us have had practically none since we left London, but we managed to get a short, nap yesterday while waiting for the cowling to 'be overhauled." When it, was pointed out to Squad-ron-Leader McGregor that his time t’rom London was a really excellent performance for a light single-engined machine, he merely replied: “it feels (ike a month. We want to push on as quickly as possible. There is no sense in wasting time.” fie added that they did not encounter any major trouble. They were bogged at A lor .Star, where mud sr.-rned to be giving trouble to mosi nlanes. . “The flight over the Timor 'Sea this morning was a very good one,’ . he said, “but at one stage we ran into a heavy rainstorm, and in order to dodge it, had to climb to a very great altitude. Night flying will not worry 11s a bit, because we have done so much of it on this flight.” reception to flyers MELBOURNEE CONTROVERSY MELBOURNE, Oct. 26. Tho public is anxious to honor all competing airmen, but the authorities are clashing over whether the event Will be a triumphant procession or a banquet. Some authorities claim that the public will have sufficient opportunity of seeing the aviators at the Air Force pageant n't Laverton on November 10. Early action is necessary if anything is to be done, as the winners arc already making plans for their departure. The public, which has shown much enthusiasm, will bo disappointed if the aviators’ exploits are not suitably recognised by the authorities. Appreciating the help given by Albury citizens to Mr Parmeirtier, the Royal Dutch Air Line announced that it is giving 1000 guilders to the Albury Hospital. ' A message of thanks from the Dutch Government has been received by the Netherlands consul.

NO TRICKERY TRIBUTE TO “SMITHY'’ MELBOURNE, Oct. 26. 'Speaking at the centenary luncheon, Sir Macphersou Robertson said he had received many letters suggesting that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith had tricked him. He warmly defended “Smithy,” and said lie had always found him honest and upright. He was convinced that if Sir Charles' Kingsford Smith had entered the race he would have been a close finisher with Mr Scott.