SOUTHERN CROSS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1929, Page 5

SOUTHERN CROSS

NO MORE PLANES NEEDED

(Australian Press Association)

SYDNEY, April 10.

With seven planes now engaged in the Southern Cross search, the official opinion is that any additional machines will Ik? of little use, and that the efforts should he concentrated on ground searches. The aeroplane Canberra to-day searched westward from Wyndham to Admiralty Gulf. The pilots investigated lires thereabouts, hut they saw no sign of anything but smoke. NO NEWS. {Received this day at 8 a.in.) SYDNEY, April 11. There is nothing further from the Southern Cross searchers. FURTHER PARTICULARS. FOUR, LAND PARTIES SEARCHING (Received this day at 8.30. a.m.) SYDNEY, April 11. Yesterday's search for the Southern Cross was again negative. It appears the reported finding of the monoplane was unfounded. Even Pilot Woods, who brought the message, doubted the reliability of the report.

Four big land parties are searching the rugged country between Drysdale and Port George. Until the motor ship Kolindn arrives at Derby to-night there are only eight eases of petrol. The large number of fives seen by Holden from the Canberra yesterday are stated to he owing to war betwoen coastal and inland natives. Goulburn in a Moth arrived at Longreach.

BE OADCASTED M ESS AG ES. 'WELLINGTON, April 11. Among the messages broadcasted from Australia concerning the search for the 'airmen, the following items from Broome were intercepted in Wellington“ Father Thomas, who left Sydney before the Southern Cross, said that in the event of the South--7 ern Cross crew making a, forced landing there was no fear of the natives interfering with the crew. Tito blacks walk many miles to the-Mission Hall and we never have any trouble with them, as they are peaceful.” It is not expected that the 250 natives and a few whites sent out can travel more than three to four miles per day. It would he almost impossible to use horses in that country. '

RELIEF FUND

WELLINGTON. April 11

A Sydney message stated the rescue fund there is now £5425 17s 2d. The committee’s objective is fifty thousand as it took the responsibility of commissioning the Canberra.

VERY ROUGH COUNTRY,

NO SAFE LANDING PLACES

WELINGTON, April 9

“It is real Never-Never land,” stated Mr J. Gordon, of the Harbour Board staff in describing the country where Kingsford-Smith and party are believed to have landed. ,

Mr Gordon spent eight years there, and said that the country north of the Fitzroy River and westward of AVyrnlham was very wild. The country was a vast series of ridges covered with dense masses of spear grass and cane grass, which grew to a great height during the rainy season. Most of the depressions were vast bogs in which it was impossible to ride a horse.

Mr Gordon considered that an aeroplane would have difficulty in landing anywhere in this country, and even if undamaged would have littic chance ol taking off again from the soft, rainsoaked ground. The sea coast was wild and desolate and much broken ny numerous gulfs, bays and inlets into which flowed rivers and creeks, which swarmed with crocodiles and alligators. The rivers swarmed with ducks and other wildfowl and there were bush turkeys and many other birds in the tit-rub and forest. Snakes abounded and mosquitoes were particularly bad. The whole region was so wild and hr ken that travelling on foot would be very slow and arduous, particularly at this time of the year.

The natives were generally regarded as hostile, hut they were somewhat cowardly and might hesitate to attackfour white men. especially if the latter were armed. Mr Gordon thinks it stnpige that if Kingsford-Smith and bis companions had landed saielv nothing has yet boon heard ol them, as roaming natives had ways and means, including the use of smoke signals, ol transmitting messages with incredible rapidity over great distances. Still, the region was so vast that il the men bad landed it might be davs beiore tbev met a party of roving blacks.