SOUTHERN CROSS HOPS OFF

Evening Star, Issue 20138, 1 April 1929, Page 6

SOUTHERN CROSS HOPS OFF

LEADER CONFIDENT A WARM FAREWELL fr®sa Association--By Telegraph— Copyright SVDNKV, March .'U. The personnel of the Son thorn Cross is the same as it was when she visiter] New Zealand. Several hundred people were present and gave the airmen a cordial send-off. The monoplane, carrying 800 gallons of petrol, rose slowly in a heavy atmosphere, but once aloft it soon disappeared in a north-westward direction, accompanied fur some distance by Air Force Moths. Before the start each man made a brief speech, which was permanently recorded. Squadron-leader K i ngstord Smith expressed confidence that they would win through and achieve something towards linking up the Umpire air communications. Tin* (light- was jjnrvly of a business nature, and no attempt at record-breaking was intended. PETROL RUNNING SHORT. Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SVDNKV, March til. The actual whereabouts of the Southern Cross are wrapped in mystery. .At a late hour the only definite knowledge was that at IIMM to-day a wireless from the plane stated that the supply of petrol was miming out, and that the flyers were coming down. They reckoned they were then Till miles from Wyndham, but there was no certainty about this, ami there was - nothing further to throw light on how the landing was effected. THE PLANK LANDS. Press Association—By TeDgrrph—Copyright SVDNKV, March hi. There was no news this afternoon of the Southern Cross. The latest advice from the piano was at 3 o’clock this morning. Sho was expected to arrive at Wyndham between 9 and 10 o’clock this morning. A later message states that the Southern Cross piado a forced landing about 150 miles from Wyndham.