RlOl INQUIRY. ,

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18163, 30 October 1930, Page 8

RlOl INQUIRY. ,

SIR W. JOWITT’S ADDRESS. SOME REVELATIONS. AN UNFULFILLED ORDER. Cnlted Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received October 30, i. 45 p.m.) (‘Continued from page 7.) LONDON, October 29. Sir \V. Jowitt said that Air Marshall Dowding in view of the engine failure, suggested that there ought to be a lull-powered trial before the Indian flight, but Scott, Irwin and Colmore, all experienced men, did not suggest its desirability as delaying the flight, all declaring that RiOi was more navigable after the insertion of the bay. Turning to *(■; the airship’s last hours, he pointed out that she reported at midnight that her altimeter recorded 1500 feet, and he believed when she sent out. if.;: . her . final message before the crash she was at least 1100 feet. He did not believe that rain was a factor , in the disaster as the airship reported that she had begun to recover her •'l, water ballast, which would have been unlikely if there had been difficulty owing to the envelope being over wet. v; He revealed that in the portion of the : log recovered from the wreckage only a few unimportant figures could be deciphered. lie disclosed that Bigg® l, 3 S'f Church before his death made a statement that he had been, ordered to release half a ton of the forward £ water ballast, but the airship crashed before the order could be carried out. ff |- sir W. Jowitt added that the ex- £‘ f perts found four wrist watches had ! stopped at 2.9 a.m. When the watch ■ j was changed at 2 a.m. the airship ■ was on an even keel and all the engines were running satisfactorily, after which she nose-dived abnormally. She momentarily regained the horizontal, re-dived, and crashed. Sir W. Jowitt said' that tests of the elevator wire indicated that they , parted after tbe fire, and not prior to the crash. , .. Sir William Jowett, in concluding his address, said the four main.conclusions at the preliminary investigations were:— 1. No part of the main structure broke in the air; 2. The impact occurred while the airship was inclined for the nose dive; 3. Elevator control was found at “ full upwards,” and the rudder was amidships; 4. There was one violent explosion.