AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1928, Page 2

AVIATION.

WILKINS FEAT.

(united Press Association.—By Electric Tel egra p i i.—Copyright.)

(Received this day at 8 a.m.) OSLO, April 21

The newspaper " Dagbladet ” says M ilkins and Hileson arrived at Dauholmen after flying over the North Pole for twenty-one hours from Point Harrow. Both airmen are well.

Beports state Wilkins landed at Green Island harbour in the host of condition and the machine was in tin way damaged. It has special wooden skills fitted to enable its landing in ice or snow. A wireless from Green Harbour states Will tins and his companion, owing to tempestolis weather and snowstorms, were lorceil down on the small uninhabited island on Datilmlmen, situated north of Spit/.liergen. where they were obliged to slay for live days, waiting lor favourable weather, before the Might to Green Harbour, which is a wireless station and the centre of coalmining. Wilkins and his companion will he obliged to stay at a small village called Long Year City, near Greco llarlmiir. until the lirst feu- v.-eeks ol May. wlien there is a general thaw of the Polar .Sea, where lour hundred men from the surrounding mines spend the winter, as the terrible conditions make work impossible.

WILKINS AT SPITZBERGEN. A E'l’EH 20 iron! PLIGHT. NEW YORK. April 21. A message Iron) Detroit states: " A radio message from Captain Wilkins at Svalbard announces that he readier) Spitxbergeii in twenty and a-luill hours’ living time, lie e.Npericiucd live days had weather. His two previous attempts were unsuccessful. Captain Wilkins’s reported arrival has caused surprise here, although his plane carried radio, a complete silence had enveloped his activities from the time he was expected to take oil Iron) Point Harrow.

WORLD-WIDE ( ONGUATPLATIONS

(A nst railia n Press Association.)

(Received this day at 8 a.m.) NEW YORK. April 21

Eilson, who is a native of Hatton. North Dakota, is thirty years old and studied at the State Pniversity. lie enlisted in the American Army Air Servite during the war and won a lirst lieutenancy. He been me a commercial aviator after the war and in 11)23 he undertook for the Post Office .Department. a solution of the problem of winter air mail delivery to Alaska. His work brought commendation Irom Mr ("on lid go. die airplane in which the flight was made is the smallest craft which has been used in Arctic exploration. It is a Loekhead-Yoga. and compared with the l)orni-\\als used by Amundsen and Byrd’s tri-plancd I'okker, this monoplane appears insignificant. 11. however, is extremely speedy. It is interesting to note that the American Geographical Society received a message from Wilkins: "No loses seen.” This was a code arrangement by which the explorer indicated he had seen no land in the polar region. With Jill lent is unanimous that the Wilkins Might is epochal. Ollieial and aviation circles in tin* l lined States joined in congratulating the aviator and hailing his persistence and courage as making him one ol the outstanding

figures in exploration and eviation. Mr Kellogg cabled Wilkins and lifUon: •■Heartiest congratulations <(n your splendid flight. D is a wonderful aei oinplisliliioiit.” ( omiiiaiulei' livid said: " I bine

nothing hut admiration for bis persistence in tile face of discouragement. 11 is flight is of great, scientific value. His navigation is worthy ol the highest praise. '■ congratulate him most lieart.

Commander Douglas Jeflrey, "In with Wilkins, accompanied Shackleton said: "We fell lie would pull through 11,. js a resourceful sort of fellow.”

Stei'fansson expressed delight at his success and said Wikins was the best man they had in their ( anadian Arctic expeditions ol lb’ll! and ltd', and lelm red to Monasli's statement that Wilkins was the bravest and ablest man that M.onasli bail bad.

OVER THE NORTH POLE. LONDON. April 22. Wilkins feat of living over the roof of the world has excited the greatest interest in London. Il would have been known sooner, lull tor the sudden death of the wireless operator at Kings Hay. Spilzhergen.

OFF TO NF.W YORK. LONDON. April 22,

Mrs Fitzinaiirice and daughter joined ihe German liner Dresden at Queenstown lor New York. She said she would not- prevent her Imshnnd flying hack, why sliottd she ? lie knows what lie is doing.

Frau Kochi is a passenger in the same ship. NOTH I.E'S FLY. TIiO.MSO. April 21. Nobile’s base steamship Pitta Tie Alibi no left Kings Hay after two days’ delay. AA’TLK'IN’S INTENTION. (Received this day at Vl.O a.m.) NF.AY YORK. April 21. According to information available here. Wilkins intended if the Spitzborgor (light was successful to leave next September for an Antarctic peditinn flying a seaplane eastward from Hass Sea lo Grahams Land, about three thousand miles south of ('ape He,rn. the purpose being to establish twelve Antarctic meteorological stations for forecasting weather conditiunx in the unhabiU'd regions of the Globe, years in advance.