CORONER STICKS TO GUNS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1933, Page 6

CORONER STICKS TO GUNS

PLANE’S CRASH AT PIHAMA ALLEGED CONTRAVENTION OF ACT REASONS FOR PLANE’S REMOVAL. The opinion that his reading of the Air Navigation Act was correct was expressed yesterday by Mr. R. S. Sage, the coroner at the inquest concerning the recent air fatality, who commented on the removal of the plane from Pihama. In his opinion the Act made it clear that a fine of £5O or three months’ imprisonment could be imposed for removing a plane after an acpident without authority, and though no regulation had been gazetted the Act left no doubt in his mind regarding its intention. Mr. W. G. Walkley, secretary of the Hawera Aero Club, after informing a reporter that the club had legal advice that its action was in order, explained why the plane had been removed. - It was imperative, he said, that the wrecked machine should be dismantled and removed to a place of safety, as invariably souvenir hunters pilfered parts, and as a large quantity of petrol usually escaped there was always the danger of fii-e. In the case in question scores of people visited the scene very shortly after the accident and the club’s desire was to prevent possible pilfering. Furthermore, the constable at Opunake was on the spot before any attempt was made to dismantle the machine and he took the proper course in raising no objection. The souvenir hunting which followed the recent crash at Johnsonville provided a clear case for the necessity of removing valuable parts of the'plane as soon as possible.”