PLANE WRECKAGE FOUND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 62, 31 March 1937, Page 5

PLANE WRECKAGE FOUND

-Prest Assooiation.y

Clothing Washed Up On Beach NINTH DAY OF SEARCH

(Bt Telesrraoh-

WELLINGTON, This Day. Clothing and further pieces of aeroplane wreckage cast np by the sea yesterday along the sfiore within a mile of Ohau Point, near Makara, indicate almost beyond donbt that the Western Feaerated (N.I.) Flying Club's nussiug Gypsy Moth maehine erashed into the sea last Tuesday week, and that the pilot, Mr ATthur Smith, and ppssenger, Mr J. Hamill, both of Pungarehn, Were either killed or trapped in the plane and drowned. To-day is the ninth day of the tseareh and, from the appearance of the wreckage now being found, the aeroplane is breaking up. Beeause of rough conditions, yesterday 's search was xestricted to a beach patroL The aTticles of clothing found were a pair of pyjamas and a navy blue suit coat believed to' belong to the pasaenger, and a waistcoat thought to be the pilot 's. The wreckage consistea of two propeller covers, two cockpit covers, four small pieces of aeroplane wood, and two portions of the underpart f the wings with the respective numbering and lettering, "DH No. 22222 A" and "H No. 27951 A BH." Another find was that of a section of a flying map of the locality where the maehine is thought to have erashed and where the search is now in progress. According to Flying Officer J. M. Buckeridge, who was approched last night, the lettering on the wing wreckage. would be sufficient to establish identification.