VENTURER ARRIVES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1935, Page 4

VENTURER ARRIVES

VOYAGE IN OPEN DINGHY MR. J. THOMAS REACHES KAWHIA. AERIAL SEARCH UNDERTAKEN. ’ AEROPLANE’S FRUITLESS QUEST.. After a voyage of two and a-half days, Mr. Joseph Thomas, who set off from Moturoa on Monday morning in a 14ft. dinghy for Kawhia, arrived safely at his destination last night. An aerial search for the boat was made yesterday. Before he set out on his adventurous journey Mr. Thomas made an arrangement with a friend, Mr, A. Woods, Bayly Road, Spotswood, to telephone him immediately he reached his objective. At 8.30 last night Mr. Woods received a call from Mrs. Gibbons, Kawhia, with the tidings of Mr. Thomas’ arrival. Mrs. Gibbons told him that the dinghy had made the heads and had then been towed in by Mr. Gibbons’ launch, and that after having had refreshments at their house Mr. Thomas had gone ton up the harbour. Mr. Thomas stated that he felt very well, though a little tired. He had seen the aeroplane searching for him during the morning. ‘“Many people thought that Joe was setting off on a foolhardy adventure,” said Mr. Woods last night, “but they never really knew him nor realised his great experience of the sea. As a boy he was well known as an qxpert yachtsman at Akaroa, and at the age of 17 he went to sea and served on sailing vessels for many years, finishing as second in command of a ship. He had often discussed this trip with .me nad was quite confident of success. With the weather so fine as it has been since Monday I was also certain that he would arrive safely at his destination.” Anxiety was felt” yesterday morning when no report of Mr. Thomas had been received either from Kawhia or Mokau. As he is a member of the Returned Soldiers’ Association and the South African Veterans’ Association, officials of those bodies decided to charter an aero club Moth, ZK—AAX, for an aerial search of the coastline. At 10.15 the machine set out, piloted by Mr. C. Turner, df the aerodrome staff, with Flying Officer lan Keith as observer. GOVERNMENT PLANE’S SEARCH. The associations then endeavoured to get into touch with the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, to obtain his sanction to get the Government seaplane to search from the Hobsonville Air Base. The Minister was at Auckland, however, and Wing Commander T. M. Wilkes was approached. He could not grant permission for use of the plane without Ministerial sanction. The Hon. S. G. Smith was then communicated with by telephone and, as Mr. Cobbe was not available, he undertook the responsibility of authorising an air search. Quarter of an hdur after receipt of Government sanction the seaplane was in the air and during the search was in constant wireless communication with the base. No sign of the craft, however, was discovered, as apparently it had made Kawhia Heads before the seaplane arrived. The plane ZK—AAX searched every beach and point on the coast between New Plymouth and Kawhia, but found no sign. On the return journey the plane travelled as far seaward as was safe for a land machine.

Visibility was excellent. The weather was very calm, but there was a heavy swell and the surf was breaking with some force on the beaches. The plane travelled at between 500 and 3000 ft. altitude, and had uninterrupted vision of a broad strip of sea. A launch was sighted 10 miles out to/sea off Mokau, and, on the journey up, a boat fishing off Waikawau.

Mr. Thomas’ boat was sighted at noon on Tuesday by the New Plymouth fishing launch Campbell, at that time near Waikawau. A passenger on the launch stated that the sails of the dinghy were sighted off Rua Point about seven or eight miles offshore. There was a light southwesterly breeze blowing and the small craft seemed to be making good time. Those on the launch considered that it should have made Albatross **->int on Tuesday night.