TASMAN FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1928, Page 2

TASMAN FLIGHT

CONSTABLE’S FUTILE SEARCH

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. AA’ELLINGTON, Jan. 13. *i> About three o’clock yesterday after-, noon, the Pctone police received word that what was thought to be the missing aeroplane could he seen in Horokiwi Hills, near the Government Trig Station, between Porirua and Trcnthani. Constable AlcXnmara proceeded to investigate, and after a ratlicr warm tramp over several miles of hilly country, found the “ aeroplane ” to ho c patch of bare clay, which although r by any means freshly formed, had no* previously been noted by local residents. -**- BUCKLEY’S PLANE DEFECTIVE, 'i BLENHEIAI, Jan. 13. Captain Buckley took off at 11.10 this morning to patrol Farewell Spit, Karamea, and Blenheim, as arranged, but was forced to return to the base at 12.20. after being up for a little over an hour. The engine of the plane was not going too well when he left, but be. carried on. thinking it would improve as the flight progressed, but it got worse. Difficulty was experienced in clearing the hills west of j Blenheim, as the plane would not climb and attain a sufficient height. Had the engine been functioning .well, Captain Buckley would have shaped the course from over Tophouse to New Plymouth, as the visibility was excellent over the North Island. On the way home the engine was very rough, and it is being gone over carefully this afternoon.

Orders are now being awaited, and those will decide whether the machine is to stay in Blenheim until a favourable opportunity for doing the Karamea trip presents itself, or will proceed to New Plymouth and Trentham. Captain Buckley has received no orders to-night for the continuation of the aeroplane search. He is probably leaving in the morning for another attempt to patrol Cape Farewell and Karamea, which was interrupted to-day bv engine trouble and had visibility.

SEARCH PARTIES SET OUT. AIASTERTON, Jan. 13. Two parties left Mnstcrton this morning to search the Tararuas for the airmen. They were equipped with three days’ provision, alpine tents, and a stove; and will explore the ridges from the summit range until Sunday night. A third party of soldier settlers from Ngaumu settlement left, to search the AVaiorongonm and Orongorongo districts, where it was reported the’plane had been seen on Tuesday night.

FIRE IN TARARUA RANGES. BELTEYED TO BE A SIGNAL, “CERTAIN IT IS NOT A BUSH FIRE.” AA’ELLINGTON, Jan. 13. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Office to-night received the following message from the Postmaster at Kongotea: “Mr Stringer, foreman of the State Forest Service, reports that smoke is issuing from the Tararna Ranges, approximately behind Levin, and is apparently a signal, and not a. bush fire.” LATER.

The Postmaster of llangotea supplements his message to the G.P.O. with the following, “Stringer reports that fire is apparently in foothills, forty-two degrees magnetic bearing from mmtjit of Rangitikei River. He feels certain it is not a bush fire.

COASTAL SHIPS’ REPORTS. AYELLINGTON, Jan. 13. It was officially stated to-day that five coastal ships, including the Inuiha, Breeze, Knpiti and liawera, were steaming at intervals from Cape Terawhiti and Knpiti Island between 9.30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Tuesday, and more than one of these vessels saw the Kaiwarra. bound from Wellington to Sydney, which reported seeing the flares dropped between l’aeknkariki and Stephen’s Island, but although tliov were all keeping a good lookout, they saw nothing indicating the presence of an aeroplane, and their mastore scout the story altogether in connection with the belief that the aiiators may have been picked up by a vessel, if they were forced to land in

the sea. . . It is stated that not a single ship is known to have lieen' at sea between Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, that has not since arrived in port, somewhere or other, or has been in communication by radio. One shipmaster expressed the view that the weather conditions were such as would take the airmen well to the southward of their proper course for Wellington. He suggest as an alternative to coming down at sea, a landing somewhere in South Westland, where there are many beaches on which it is possible for a plane to descend unobserved; lie an others consider it wrong that the airmen were not possessed of the means to send out a radio signal in the event of a mishap, with some indication of their approxi-

mate position. There lias been no report from the tug Toia, and Capt. Findlay saw no sign of the missing airmen in his search from the air today.

CAPTAIN KNIGHT RETURNING. SYDNEY. Jan. 13. Captain Knight was a passenger hy the Marama, for AYellington. aveather impedes search. AYELLINGTON, Jan. 14. The weather lias now turned wet and foggy, which must greatly impede the efforts of search parties. A CHERTSEY story.

AEROPLANE HEARD. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 13. Three persons at Chertsey, near Ash- -- burton, claim to have heard an aeroplane about midnight on Tuesday. The stories all agree that the aeroplane ar- ’ rived over the district a few minutes ■ before midnight and after circling 1 round for half an hour, went off eastward toward the sea.

Airs H. M. Copland, who lives near Chertsey, Airs AV. G. Copland who lives about seven miles away, and a Mr Baker, from the North Island, all claim to have heard the ’plane. Airs H. Ar. Copland is positive that it was a ’plane she heard because the nearest road is three-quarters of a mile away and is not used hy motoi tiaffic to anv extent. The main road is two miles off. She states that she did not see the ’plane as the night was cloudy, ],ut the noise was at times directly overhead. The stories of all three agree that a ’plane was in the vicinity for about half an hour, and that, after circling round, it went off east toward the sea. None of them saw the machine, hut all arc convinced that it was khere.