MR THORBY NOT TO BE CALLED

Southland Times, Issue 23678, 29 November 1938, Page 7

MR THORBY NOT TO BE CALLED

INQUIRY INTO LOSS OF THE KYEEMA GOVERNMENT ACCUSED BY PILOTS’ COUNSEL (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received November 29, 12.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE, November 28. After 21 days the hearing of evidence at the inquiry into the disaster to the air liner, Kyeema, ended today and counsels’ addresses began. Mr Leo Little, for the Air Pilots’ and Navigators’ Institute, blamed the Federal Government for the crash. He condemned the administration of the control of civil aviation, alleging that the direction-finding radio beacons could have been operating six or 12 months ago, and charged the 'administration with a certain amount of looseness, maladministration arid lack of co-or-dination. Mr Little suggested that, the Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr H. V. C. Thorby) be called to explain his decision not to call tenders for the beacons, and the delays in the purchase or hire of a machine for tests of the beacons. Mr Little’s request was considered by the committee, which announced that the beacons had not Been delayed and the failure to call tenders was no reason for calling Mr Thorby. Mr Little said: “The unfortunate pilot would never have had to make the decision he did and these people would have been alive today if there had been a beacon. The curse of it is that the beacon could have been functioning six or 12 months ago.”