MISS JOHNSON DESCRIBES HER TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19075, 21 May 1930, Page 1

MISS JOHNSON DESCRIBES HER TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

Crossing Of Java Sea Was Nightmare Journey For Flyer.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received May 21, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 20. The narrative of Miss Johnson’s flight on Monday is stirring. In the tempest over the Sumatra jungle she bumped to within a few feet of the tree tops and was ready to jump with her'parachute at any moment. Then crossing the Java Sea the monsoon compelled her to fly almost at water level. She said: “ At times I could not distinguish the waves from the sheets of rain. I was terrified by the sharks waiting for me to fall.”

LEAKAGE IN PETROL PIPE DISCOVERED

ENGINE TROUBLE ON JOURNEY TO SURABAYA. (Received May 21, 11.30 a.m.) WELTEVREDEN, May 20. Great interest was shown in Miss Amy Johnson’s arrival at Surabaya, where she landed at 1.20 p.m. Many ladies were present. She said that she had had an emotionless flight from Samarang. The engine functioned irregularly, which she ascribed to a leakage in the petrol pipe. After a few hours’ rest at the hotel she returned to the flying camp for the purpose of fully preparing the chine for the continuation of the flight to-morrow morning, when she will probably fly to Atamboea, although she may possibly proceed only to Bima, Delay at TjomaL At 8.45 a.m. Miss Amy Johnson left Tjomal, near Pekalongan, where she landed owing to lack of petrol yesterday. She arrived at Samarang at 10 a.m. Resumption of the flight in the early morning, however, was delayed by the discovery that five holes had been tom in the wings by some bamboo sticks which were sticking upright in the ground as supports for young fruit wide. Employees of the factory effected repairs, working feverishly, and Miss Johnson, who has been rather cast down by her adverse luck, left at 8.45 ajn. Miss Johnson has found the flight a heavier test personally than she expected, and will be glad when it has ended, and she is safe in Sydney. Her energy and daring have impressed everybody who has met her. During her stop at Samarang, Miss Johnson looked dead tired, but was still smiling cheerfully. She declared that flying was extremely tiring. Relating her experiences above the Java Sea, she declared that the most severe test above the Java Sea was between Singkep and Banka, where heavy squalls

and dense rainstorms obliged her to fly to Sumatra, when she flew over thick stretches of jungle. Later again she changed her direction to Banka, from where she crossed the Java Sea again amid the heaviest of tropical storms, so that the 'plane, over long distances, was only a couple of metres above the sea, which caused her to fear that any time she might crash in to the sea, in which case she would be absolutely lost. However, she managed to reach Java, after which she followed the coast line, at last reaching Tjomal. Miss Johnson was most enthusiastic over her cordial and warm reception by the sugar-planters at Tjomal. Departure from Samarang. Miss Johnson left Samarang at 11.20 a.m. She announced that after her arrival at Port Darwin she would fly direct to Sydney. Miss Johnson flew behind the regular service areoplane of the Royal Nether-land-Indies Air Company. She will probably land at Port Darwin on Friday. Many offers from Australia to start an extensive tour from Port Darwin have been received by Miss Johnson, but she will refuse them. “I want a rest,” she exclaimed.

. FORTY-SEVEN SPEECHES ' FROM AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY. May 20. , According to the present tentative i programme it is conservatively esti- : mated that Miss Amy Johnson will hear forty Steven speeches of welcome and praise during the first four days . after her arrival in Sydney. It is in- ; evitable that the programme will have , to be enlarged, as a number of organ-

i isations and inviduals wishing to entertain her have reached a staggering i total. The New Zealand Women’s As- ■ sociation is doing its part. . A nurrtber of the larger centres of Queensland and New South Wales have made requests that Miss Johnson should come down when passing diver > en route to Sydney. i The Minister for Home Affairs, Mr 1 A. Blakely, has arranged for the apI pointment of a private secretary for , Miss Johnson, upon her arrival at Dar- : win, as he believes that she will require - help in dealing with the vast amount 3 of correspondence that is accumulating.