SAMOAN CLIPPER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 81, 29 December 1937, Page 9

SAMOAN CLIPPER

-Prew Association.)

Departure Delayed

(By Telegrapb-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. ' A postponoment of 24 hours iu fhe departure for. Pago Pago of the PanAmerican Airways clipper with the first uir-mail .to be carried across the South Pacifie was announced by Mr, Harold Gatty, special representative of fhe company in New Zealand, at 10 o'clock to-night. The announcemept followed immediately upon an unfavourable weather forecast being made by Mr. E. B. Buxton, the company 'a meteorologist in Auckland. "The forecast is for bad weather," Mr. Gatty said. "It indicates atrong head winds between here and Pago Pago and unfavourable conditions on the first section of the route. .The clipper will moor at her buoy for the night. '-' AU preparations for the departure at 4 o 'clock in the morning wero complete wheu the postponement was announced. The Clipper had been -re-fuelled with 2000 gallons of petrol, and the engineers had checked over the whole ship fCady for the flight. The night Ihhding floats to be set out over the milelong path .to indicate the runway to Captain Musick had been checked and were in position behind a i'ast launch each for towing into place and anchoring. Detailed arrangements had been made by Mr. A. L, Lewis, airjjort manager, for handling the mail and stowing it aboard the clipper, A large consignment was due .to reach the base at midnight to be locked in a special compartment on the Sikorsky, but the plani were altered as soon as the change in the schedule had been announced and the mail was held at the Chief Post Gffice.