AVIATION AT KARAMEA

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1929, Page 14

AVIATION AT KARAMEA

NO QUICKSANDS ON BEACH DEFAMATORY RUMOURS DENIED. CAUSE OF ACCIDENT TO PLANE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Westport, Last Night. ‘There are rumours circulating concerning Karamea beach,” said Mn G. .C. Black, M.P., in the course of an interview to-day, “that must be denied, taking into consideration future air development in the Dominion. “It has been stated there are quicksands on the Karamea beach. This is absolutely contrary to fact. The only quicksands are in Oparara River some distance away. That the beach has a solid landing foun dation is proved by the fact that local racing owners have for years past used it for a training track. “It has also been stated that Karamea people have not been clearing driftwood away and that because of such neglect a Moth plane was damaged on . Tuesday morning. The position is otherwise. Ever since the plane first visited the settlement Mr. W. R. Simpson and other publicspirited men have visited the beach daily, patrolled the runway and indeed on more occasions than one marked out the landing spot. On Tuesday there was no drift, wood on the particular area, the only obstacles being at the nortl -tn end the wreck of the Mangapapa and at the southern end a large snag three-quarters of a mile from the old ship. It was this obstacle that the wing of the plane struck. “Karamea possesses a fine stretch of beach which was readily availed of when Captain Buckley visited the coast a few years ago. Many flights were made from it and that well-known aviator expressed the opinion that it was one of the best landing spots on the coast. “I have no doubt Karamea beach will be made use of in the future. It has natural advantages and these should not be offset by the rumours that are circulating in many cases among people who have no local knowledge of the conditions or personal experience of the events of the past fortnight.”