RlOl INQUIRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18166, 3 November 1930, Page 5

RlOl INQUIRY.

EVIDENCE BY* SURVIVOR. COX’SUN’S SIGNIFICANT COMMENT United Press Assn. —dec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, October 31. In the coruse of evidence given at the airship inquiry one of the survivors, Disley, said he turned in at 9 p.m. and got up at 9.45. Owing to the lights having “tripped,” the ship was in darkness. lie ■ attended to the lights, and then went on to the control tower at 10 p.m. He saw Atherstone take the elevator wheel from the coxswain. The altimeter was then recording 900 feet, and Atherston pulled it up to 1000 feet. He told the coxswain not to let her get below 1000 feet. Disley added that the airship's first dip reawakened him. The cfoiel coxswain came to the switchboard and said: “We are down.” He did not seem to be excited, but gave the impression that he was warning them to leave immediately. However, there came a final dive, and the explosion occurred. He heard a number of explosions, but the first was the worst.

Sir John Simon expressed the opinion that the coxswain’s remark suggested to the people in the control room that he knew that the airship was doomed, even before the final dip occurred. SURVIVORS’ EXPERIENCES. HOW THEY ESCAPED. LONDON, October 31. Engineer Cook, another of the survivors from RlOl whose hands were swathed in bandages, said: “I tried to get out of the car doorway towards the ship, but there was a mass of flame in front of me and the heat was terrific. I then turned to the sliding doors on the exterior side, but found a girder had fallen. I thought I was completely trapped, and became desperate. I thrust up the girder and jumped out, landing on the grass. I tore off my burning overalls. My hands were hurting terribly while doing so. I heard minor explosions.” Sir John Simon questioned Cook regarding the entry in the engine log. Cook said he was of the opinion that Blake, whom he relieved, wrote “ three ” intending to write " thirty,” but forgot to compleLe it.

Cook said he examined the, instruments and found everything correct. Leech, another surviving engineer, said the flames seemed to originate in the control lower. The smoke room was filled with choking smoke. Counsel asked: "You heard people screaming?” 1 Leech turned away and said he would rather not answer. Sir John Simon sympathetically interposed: “There is no need.” Leech added that the smoking room fell in and he tore' part of a settee from the bulkhead and scrambled out. Everything Occurred at Once. Another survivor, Mr V. Savory, engineer, who was in charge of the starboard midship car, described the crash. He said everything seemed to occur at once.

There was rumbling and a crushing, and he was tossed about inside the car. His engine was still running at cruising speed, and he had no telegraph bell to switch it off. He heard no explosion. There was a vivid flash, which penetrated the, door of the car and scorched his face, and practically dazed him. He got out by climbing over the girders. The inquiry was adjourned until Monday. AN AUSTRALIAN WIDOW. LONDON, November 1. It is understood that Mrs Palslra, widow of Squadron-Leader Palstra, of the Australian Air Force, who was a victim of the RiOl disaster, is awaiting the arrival in London of her late husband’s parents from Java. Then she will go to Australia with her children by the Moldavia on November 28.