TASMAN FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1928, Page 3

TASMAN FLIGHT

REPUTED V LEAVERS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, -Tan. 13. The following reports were received b.v the 0.P.0. from the Chief Postmaster at Wanganui:—“Am advised Mr Campbell and five others at Maxwell saw an aeroplane at 8.40 p.m. on 10th January. I expect Campbell here shortly to make sworn statement when I will confirm.” The Postmistress at Manakau received a communication signed by R. 11. Kilgour and F. Kilgour:—“ AA'e the undersigned do hereby declare that on the night of the tenth at about 11.45 p.m. Wc distinctly heard the drone of an aeroplane passing down the AA’aitohu A'alley. Our attention was drawn to the matter by a nundier of calves in a small paddock close to our house stampeding and roaring.” AVaitohu Valley is situated between Manakau and Otaki and is also known as South Manakau Road.

B. Kilgour is known to me personally and is quite reliable. He was at one time Secretary of the Farmers’ Union at Marton. His farm is some three miles from the main road and not subject to motor traffic. Charles Alexander Kiddy, of Petone, states:—“l am a machinist and reside at Horokiwi. On the 10th I was on top of the Horokiwi Road looking out for the aeroplane. From where I was I could see the Straits and the outline of the South Island. My wife and brother-in-law were also watching.

AA T o were also running in and o•* M the house listening to the wireies, description of the flight from Trentham. He heard on the wireless that it had been sighted off Stephen Island. AA'e then went out to keep up watch and saw a red glow towards' the Straits. It kept fading and brightening up and appeared to be travelling towards Trentham. It would be about 10 or 12 miles away from where f was standing. I could not hear any sound of a motor machine, ft appeared to be due west of my house and looked to me as if it was travelling along the range of hills going backwards and forwards. 1 had the glow in view from about 9.15 p.m. to 10 p.m. I did not see the outline of the plane. I made sure it was going to pass over my place and I set fire to a patch of gorse to give the aviators a lino of where they were. I am of the opinion that if it was the plane I saw, it crashed in one of the gullies near the coast line, as 1 saw it tacking up and down the range. I thought they were looking for a. place to land. The Postmaster at Hclensvillo also says a noise like a plane was heard there, but he is inclined to think it was really a car racing on M.uriwai Reach.

ANOTHER STATEMENT. AVELLINGTON, Jan. 13. The Postmaster at AVanganui reports that Mr AViliter lias made a sworn declaration that ho and his family of five persons saw a plane out to sea oc 8.35 p.m. on the 10th., heading for Paekakariki. He is a tablet porter in the railway and his statement made be given every credence. The postmaster at Ashurst was informed by a lady that the sound of a plane was heard in Pohangina Valley, but he dies not attach importance to it. FORCED TO RETURN. BLiENHEIM, Jan 13. Buckley was forced to return at 12.20 owing to engine trouble. VisaIjility was bad. DIOMEDE LEAVES. AUCKLAND, Jan. 13. The warship Diomede sailed at 11.30 ■this morning to join in the search for the missing aviators. WIRELESS SIGNALS. SYDNEY, Jan. 13.

Regarding the wireless signals coming from the Ao-Tea-Aro it is stated that though Hood had only an elementary knowledge of the Morse code and could only transmit single letters slowly he was given a series of code letter signals, consisting of from two to four letters, indicating that it was a Ryan monoplane calling. The call signs and interpretation code were wired to the Government radio station at Wellington and ships within wireless distance of Sydney and Wellington, hut it ,is considered doubtful if any wireless operator who was not in possession ol the cable signs and code signals, could interpret any wireless message received as corning from the monoplane. At Richmond aerodrome while finally attending the engines Moncrieff was handed a small pocket flash lamp, which he retained. This, however, if used for signalling would be -visible only a very short distance, ft could not possibly have heen seen from the monoplane three thousand feet up. Assuming the airmen were using it to signal, it could not be seen by persons on land unless with the aid of the most powerful night glasses. Air Mechanic Wnrd, assisting to get the plane off, states ho-gave Moncrieff two bundles of cotton waste and a length of tubing as he sat at the controls. This would enable him to saturate the waste with petrol and drop two or three flares.