SALVAGE PROBLEM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 10 January 1931, Page 7

SALVAGE PROBLEM

MANY ARTICLES STOLEN The Southern Cross is lying well away from dry land and roads in the La Fontaine marsh, seven miles from Harihari, but the souvenir hunter has been there, and so when Mr Menzies and his helpers got there yesterday to comence salvage work they found that a deal of movable gear had been stolen, plugs, odds and ends of small personal belongings, and more miserable than that, the tools which were essential for salvage work. As a consequence of this mean thieving Mr Menzies was unable to commence work and the ’plane had to be left for a few more hours in the mud and slush, no light matter for a young pilot who has put a small fortune of money and energy into its pur- 1 chase and equipment. On hitting the heavy growth of the bog the ’plane turned upside dovvn, and overnight the engine sank in the mud and the wings were partly submerged. The propeller is a total write-off, some of the controls are bent, and other more serious damage has been done to a strut between the upper and lower wings and the tail fin. Otherwise the machine appears to be in fab- order considering the terrific strain imposed upon it in landinThe indications are that there is nothing for it but to take the plane down, wings, fuselage, and engine, and bring it out by board sleds over a mile and a half of muck ground to ' the nearest road, or possibly it may be brought out on a raft in another direction. The nearby farmer.- have offered every possible assistance, and special gear will be available .from the Hokitika gold dredge if it is required. Menzies declares that *he damage is not nearly as bad as it might be, and that the Southern Cross will be m tho air again soon, and will yet fly many a thousand miles. “But we don’t expect to get oft until Saturday night,” he said. “Work today was hindered not only by the swamp and the rain, but because all the tools, together with detachable parts of the engine, have been taken as souvenirs. We couldn’t get the wings off without tools, and now it is doubtful whether the machine can be freed before Saturday night.” Two mechanics from the Wigram aerodrome are joining in the salvage work to-day, and the Aero Club is sending an aeroplane to Springfield for Mr Menzies to use until his own is fit for the air again.