SOUTHERN CROSS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1929, Page 3

SOUTHERN CROSS

ENQUIRY CONTINUED

(Australian Press Association).

SYDNEY, May 17

The Air inquiry continued. Kingsford Smith further examined by Air Hammond, said after the force! landing they heard Morse broadcast directions how to change a receiving set to a transmitting set. Hammond—Yet you made no effort to make that change.

Smith—No ; for every good reason. It would have thrown our receiving set out of action. We expected someone to radio the latitude and longtitudo of Port George.

Hammond—They didn’t know where you were and you didn’t tell them. Smith—That is so. McWilliams know quite well how to change the set. Hammond—Didn’t you consider the advisability of using oil or petrol" for fires that you made.

Smith—Yes, but it would not make a white smoke, which we wanted.

Hammond—Did you obtain permission to make this flight? Smith—No. Pei-mission was not necessary.

Hammond —I understand you were flying blind for ten hours before the forced, landing. •

Smith —Yes

Hammond—Then even if you had had maps showing the mission station they would have been useless.

Smith replied that there were breaks in the weather when better visibility would enable the crew to see silch places. Questioned about firearms, Smith said the crew carried two small Colt revolvers and two hundred rounds of ammunition for use in the event of attacks by hostile tribesmen, in foreign countries. The crew intended, if necessary, to die fighting. Hammond —You made no attempt whatever to reach Port George Mission after landing.

Smith—l didn’t know in which direction it whs. ■. ■'; .: i ' ‘ ;;

Smith denied that any message was •radioed by AlcAViliiums .about tlie men eatiiig wild fowl. !>

. •;!! 1 SMITH’S- DENIAL. OF PRE-ARRANGED LANDING. • ,1’ , • SYDNEY, May 17. At the air inquiry, Kingsford Smith described as an “absolute, deliberate, malicious lie ” the published statements and imputations that the ■forced landing of the Southern Cross at the Glenelg River was premeditated and was arranged by the fliers for publicity purposes. Continuing, Smith, pharcterised the published statement that the arrange.tnent was thi *.- the fliers should lose themselves and that Anderson should iind them as being a malicious lie, affecting the dead man’s reputation, for. which he (witness) could only feel disgust. These emphatic answers were given to Mr Hammond, K.C. • •■ ' Quoting from the statements in the newspaper, Smith declared that no arrangements had been entered into with Anderson or anyone else.

He denied that the “ Sun,” “ Telegraph ” and “ Pictorial ” were parties to the alleged plot. Tlie only arrangements with those newspapers, lie said, was a contract for a story, which alre?dv had been produced. Witness attributed their forced landing to the weather causing them to lose their direction. NO U.NDEPST \ NDTNG WITH ANDERSON. SYDNEY, May 17. At the Air Enquiry, Mr Hammond. K.C., remarked: “Then the happenings were not only unpremeditated, hut unexpected.” . Smith: “Entirely so.” Mr Hammond: “Tell us about the rations you had when lost.’ Smith': “We found what we though* were snails, but have since learned that they were a species of crawling shell-fish. We also found a plentiful supply of swamp beans.” Mr Cassidy, the counsel for the oilmen, questioned Smith about the country- pt the Glenelg River. Smith said that it was very nigged about the Port George Mission, which was in a dip between bills, and was difficult to see, even if one walked within half a mile of it. Mr Myers, who is appearing for Mrs Anderson, asked: “There is a suggestion that you indorsed a promissory note for £3OO on Anderson s plane, and that this was part of the arrangement' that Anderson should find you after you were lost. Is that so?”' Smith: “That is a deliberate lie.” THE WIRELESS. Captain Hughes asked: “Is it true that, after you landed, either through the inadequacy of the equipment, or bad luok. you found it impossible to communicate with the outside world?” Smith: “I do not admit that the strenth of our improvised apparatus was inadequate to maintain signals for a long enough period to allow listen-ers-in to tune their dials to our particular wave length. Our experience has taught us that provision should be made for transmitting from the ground.” Captain Hughes: “What was your reason for going direct to Wyndbam ? Smith: “We always maintained that the Southern Cross could go anywhere. -We are in the position of pioneers, and pioneers always take risks,”

INABILITY TO WALK. TO PORT GEORGE MISSION. SYDNEY, May 17. At the Air Enquiry, Captain Hughes further asked Smith: “Would you have Been physicallv fit to walk to the Port Georgo Mission after you had lieen three days on the mud flat?” Smith:' “ Certainly not. The party decided several times that it would be unwise to walk to the Mission station.” Captain Hughes: “ So. if you received a message telling you where the Mission was, it would have been of no use? ” Smith : “ It would ham been of verv great uso. Wc would have tried to' get there.” . Smith added: “ Smoke columns from otir fires rose two hundred to three hundred feet on quiet days.” Captain Leslie Holden was then called. He described bis search in the air liner “ Canberra ” for the lost aviators as already published. He added that the place where the Southern Cross landed was not such a spot as he would have selected for a landing. The crew of the marooned plane had seemed slow in their movements, although there was nothing unusual in the gait of two of the men. They picked up the parcels of food, and made signs that they could receive radio messages from Sydney, but not from the “Canberra” plane, which was unable to land, but returned next day with more food, mails and messages. HOLDEN'S OPINION. THAT THEY WERE LOST. SYDNEY. May 17. At the air inquiry, Captain Holden said that it was absolutely necessary, to have an efficient emergenev wireloss set for a flight to North Westein Australia. Experiments in transmission from the ground, which his operation tried, gave poor results. Mr Hammond: “Is there anything yo n can suggest which the Southern Cross crew could have done besides landing?” Captain Holden: “No. They were lost. it was also a gamble whether they could land safely. Tam sure in the circumstances, they did the right thing.” Captain Holden produced a series of photographs of the Southern Cross on the mud flat. Then he gave evidence about thelvookabui i a seaich and the discovery.

The inquiry was adjourned till Monday.