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Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1929, Page 4

T this time of commemoration for poronal saci'ilice f r others, the case of inderson and Mitche. ck who made the supremo sacrifhe in the seal eh for the missing Southern Cross, is in the minds f all. Anderson who was regarded as in expert airman, had his differences vitli Smith and Urn. and they were ,entilated in the courts of law. and the atfcer won. When the vittors wore ep:rtod missing, Anderson forgot the lillVrences, and pliiekily set out in a ■ mail plane to join in the search. He undo lair progress to the suggested -cone of the S iiithern (.'mss disaster, lill news of the movements of the aeroplane was lost. The search which followed for Anderson’s plane proved successful in finding the machine and

•ne dead man. believed to be Anderson, while yesterday’s cable stated that it was believed Hitchcock was bill'd close to the plane. There Is bus a double tragedy to lie recorded. The valour of these two plucky searchers is to lie commended greatly, .and io i r fa to will be deplored on all sides.

hey rendered heroic service, the realty of which is intensified by the penalty they had to pay in performing it. *'t is clear from the experience of the chapter of accidents foil wing tmSouthern Cross episode, that scan hers of a similar nature in the future must lie organised on mere complete lines, and that the searching machines must ! >e equipped with effective wireless apparatus, and that all machines must carry suppdics of sustaining rations over a period at least. It is useless to court disaster upon disaster bv iaultv or hurried organisation, and the sacrifice of Anderson and Hitchcock lends special point to this aspect of the matter.