AIR ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1929, Page 6

AIR ENQUIRY

SUGGESTION TO “GET LOST.” (Australian Press Association) SYDNEY, June 12. The Air Inquiry was resumed today for the special purpose ol hearing the evidence of William Angus Todd, ship’s officer. Todd gave evidence that while in hospital in Wellington, New Zealand, recently, he had read in a newspaper where Lieut, film had denied having said that he wanted to get lost in Central A.ustialia. When witness came out of the hospital he saw Mr Hillivard, solicitor and told him: “I heard Ulm make such a statement. Other people wanted to know why T did not evidence before the Committee. Whilst T was second officer of the Tahiti in September, 1927, I gave Smith, Ulm and Keith Anderson, lessons in navigation. 'lhev approached me to become the navigator of their trnns-Paeific flight. I got leave from the Union Coy,' but as our party was terribly hard up for finance T. had to give up tV, idea of the flight, and return to work. But while we were discussing sonic method of getting funds at the Hotel Roosevelt, in San Francisco, in October 1927; Ulm interposed and said that had his plan for getting lost in Central Australia for four or five days been followed, sufficient money would have been available and public, sympathy would have obviated any further worry. Anderson had interjected: ‘lt would not work.” COUNSEL RIKVEALS A GRIEVANCE. -SYDNEY, June 12. At the Air Inquiry the witness Todd said that he had made no comment on U 1 m’s statement because he was .not interested in the proposed trnns-Paci-fie flight. . Mr Cassidy, counsel for Smith and Ulm: You have your knife into Ulm, have you not? .. Todd': I won’t admit that at alb Mr Cassidy: Do you remember Ulm speaking pretty severely to you? Todd; And I spoke pretty severely to him! Air Cassidv: You smashed up a motor car. ami Ulm had to talk pretty straight to you ? Todd: Tt was an accident. Llm drove the car hack with me. Mr Cassidy: Did you ever say to Litchfield that you would do Ulm a had turn if you could? Todd: T say Litchfield is mistaken. Mr Cassidy : Did von make a claim against Smith and Ulm after thePacific flight? Todd: Yes. T 1 \v offered me L/o as a gift. ' Air Cassidv: You reckoned you nail a moral claim to £l5O. Todd: Yes:' because I spent much of iiiv time With the expedition, and T considered that I was brought ashore under false pretences. _ Afr Cassidy: T am suggesting that you are making this allegation against Ulm for spite? Todd : Yes. I' understand that quite clearly. Witness added that Ulm had made a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle to the effect that he was the navigator of'the pmoosed Pacific flight ai'd that lie (Todd) was the assistant, This had hurt witness. Charles Ulm was mil led, lie said • “Todd is a deliberate liar of the lowest. order and his statement about getting lost is malicious. He apparently thought that, with Anderson dead, there was nobody to reliite his statement. Todd is an excellent navigator, with a frightful temper. He used abuse when on occasions the erev. lino to go without meals in America. His drinking used to do harm to our project.” ;Afr '.Myers (counsel of Anderson’s relatives): Why do you suggest Todd should invent the stoiw about getting lost? Ulm: Just liis bad temper.

Ulm said that several conversations took place at the Hotel Roosevelt hut never did he mention anything about getting lost. Todd was to get .living expenses’while waiting for the fiiid't to begin, and five hundred pounds sterling on the completion of the (light. The reason that he accompany the Southern Cross was because the funds were so low. “AN received instructions from Australia,

said witness, “to sell the equipment and abandon the venture.” The inquiry has concluded.