KARAMEA BEACH IS GOOD LANDING PLACE FOR AEROPLANES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18804, 5 July 1929, Page 7

KARAMEA BEACH IS GOOD LANDING PLACE FOR AEROPLANES.

Per Press Association. WESTPORT. July 4. "There are rumours circulating about Karamea Beach that must be denied, taking into consideration the future air development in the Dominion," said Mr G. C. Black, M.P., in the course of an interview with the "News.” "First, it has been stated that there are quick sands on 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 foundation is proved bv 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 the Moth was damaged on Tuesday morning. The position is otherwise. Ever since the ’plan first '•isited the settlement, Mr W. R Simr son and other public-spirited men have visited the beach daily, patrolled the runaway, and. indeed, on more occasions than one, marked out a landing spot. On Tuesday last there was no driftwood on the particular area, the only obstacles being at the northern end. the wreck of the Mangapapa and at the southert end a large snag threequarters of a mile from the old ship. It was this obstacle that the wing of the ’plane struck. “Karamea possesses a fine stre.ch of beach, which was ••eadily availed oi when Captain Buckley visited the Coast some few years ago. Many flights were made from it. and that well-known avia tor expressed the opinion that it was one of the best landing spots on th° Coast. I have no doubt Karamea Beach will be made use in the future It has natural advantages and these should not be offset by the rumours that are circulating, in manv cases among people who have no. local know ledge of conditions or personal expen ence of events of the. past fortnight. DIPHTHERIA AT KARAMEA. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 4 The Acting-Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has received the following message from the supervisor at Karamea radio, Karamea: “ Since the earthquake only two cases of diphtheria have occurred in Karamea, both being in the concentration camp of refugees. Under such

conditions there was every likelihood of the complaint spreading. Captain Burrell, in response to the urgent request of the local doctor, flew from Westport under dangerous flying condi tions with sufficient serum to cope with any further cases. Fortunately no fur ther outbreak occurred. The present cases are progressing favourably." INQUEST HELD INTO DEATHS OF MINERS. WESTPORT, July 4 At Seddonville to-day, Mr E. R. Fox, Coroner, held inquests touching the death of two miners, Robert M Allister and William Chamley. and returned verdicts that both died from suffocation by being covered by falls of coal, M’Allister in the Glasgow Co-operative Company’s mine and Chamley in the Cardiff Bridge mine, both leaths being due to the earthquake. The Coroner expressed his syrrpatl v with the relatives of the deceased, ann admiration for the manner in whic.i comrades had risked their lives in recovering the bodies.