HOPES RISE AND FALL

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 249, 11 January 1928, Page 1

HOPES RISE AND FALL

Widely Varied Rumours Unconfirmed VIGIL AT TRENTHAM LASTS UNTIL 2 O’CLOCK AT 2.45 to-day no news had been received of the missing Tasman flieri Captain G. Hood and Lieutenant J. R. Moncrieff. Most of the re ports of the sighting of the airplane are discredited. The report of Messrs. Pepperell and Harris that they saw the plane over Paekakariki Bay appears to be well founded as the men are reliable and are standing by their story. The Post Office is endeavouring to communicate with the Kaiwarra which is reported to have seen the plane. The wives and relatives of the airmen, the officials of the flight organisation, several Ministers of the Crown and a large crowd maintained an anxious vigil at the Trentham racecourse until two o’clock this morning, when it was realised that the airplane could no longer be aloft. The wives are bearing up bravely and were astir early this morning waiting for the news which will restore their ebbing hopes. The silence which followed the automatic wireless calls from the Aotea-roa about 5.30 yesterday afternoon is now regarded as ominous. Sydney received a false report that the airmen had landed safely and crowds in the theatres cheered. Morning newspapers paid tribute to the New Zealanders’ daring.

MANY RUMOURS

TWENTY HOURS’ LIMIT ROCKETS, FLARES AND LAMPS (Special to THE SUN.} WELLINGTON, To-day. fpHE official party remained at Trentham until after 2 o’clock, when it was practically impossible for the airplane still to be flying. 'lt is reckoned that the machine was capable of remaining in the air for 20 hours, which would mean that the petrol would be exhausted between 1 and 2 o’clock. Shortly before midnight the Air Force men started sending rockets, in the hope of guiding the airmen to Trentham. Rumours that the machine had been sighted at various points many miles apart were numerous, and obviously did not agree. Among others, Eastbourne, Lyall Bay, and Northland suburbs of Wellington reported that the machine was overhead at different times, also places as far apart as Foxton, Martinborough, Masterton, Featherston sent in similar reports. Although up till 3 o’clock this morning, the wives of the airmen were early astir this morning and had breakfast. They are bearing up well, considering the great ordeal of waiting The Post Office confirms the Stephen’s Island and Arahura stories

as untrue. Officials hope to communicate with the ship Kaiwarra, bound for Newcastle. At 11 o’clock Mr. McNicol, Mrs. Hood and Major Wilkes were waiting for the latest reports at the Post Office. Everybody was looking very glum. No officers on the Arahura report having seen the airplane. Air Force officials are investigating every possible rumour. They discredit both the Stephen Island and Arahura stories, the former as having originated through a light in the sky, possibly a star. There is a growing feeling that the fading signals at 3.30 yesterday may be more significant ’ than at first thought.

WAITING CROWD

TRENTHAM COURSE A GLARE OF LIGHTS PLUCKY WIVES AND RELATIONS (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, To-day. THE crowd commenced to assemble at Trentham racecourse early in the afternoon, and from four o’clock onwards, for two or three hours, people were pouring into the ground faster than officials could issue tickets. So confident was everybody of the success of the flight that very few people seemed prepared for a long wait. As a result the great majority began to feel the pangs of hunger as the evening wore on. No refreshments being available on the grounds the neighbouring shops outside did a roaring trade selling right out of all eatables. Among those present were Lieuten-

mt Moncrieff’s mother, his wife and three sisters, Captain Hood’s wife, his father and brother, F. S. Hood, and sisters, Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Iggulden, the Hon. F. J. Rolleston, Minister of Defence, the Hon. R. A. Wright, Minister of Education, the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, the Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Marine, Mr. G. R. Sykes, M.P., Masterton, Colone’ Beere, Mr. R. McCallum, Blenheim, Mr. A. McNicol and Mr. R. J. Macdonald, trustees of the flight fund, the Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, Sir John Luke, Major T. M. E. Wilks, Director of the New Zealand Air Force, Mr. T. A. Blair, assistant-general manager of the V mum Oil Company in New Zealand, and several of Lieutenant Moncrieff’s colleagues of the A.B.C. garage, Wellington, Mr. Griffiths, secretary of the Wellington Racing Club, and -Jdr. W. Field. M.P. £rr Otaki. A number of visitors to the garden party at Government House came straight to the course. The total attendance was estimated at between 10,000 and 12,000. LT. MONCRIEFF’S MOTHER Lieutenant Moncrieff’s elderly widowed mother was early on the ground with a number of friends, and was in the best spirits until dark, disdaining assistance in moving from place to place. She was quite cheery and her broad Scotch accent was heard among the crowd of supporters. She rose at 4 a.m. and had refused food all day. Lieutenant Moncrieff’s wife, who had lunched earlier in the day with Mrs. Hood and the flight organisers, was also cheerful but obviously was very excited, so much so that friends feared the strain might prove too much. Once she was heard to remark with a start: “I wish people wouldn’t start the motor-cars suddenly. They make me jump.” Mrs. Hood was calmer, but after nightfall when the women repaired to the shelter of the grandstand offices, both began to wear a more anxious look, and everyone’s sympathies went out to them in their long vigil. Mrs. Moncrieff, senr., was persuaded to return home shortly after dark just,

before news was received that the airplane had been sighted. The airmen’s wives repaired to a nearby residence for a meal. By half-past nine it became obvious that the officials feared for the airplane’s safety, for had the machine kept flying until this time it was apparent it must have reached some part of New Zealand. Speculation became rife as to the possibilities of a forced landing on a lonely spot along the coast or even inland where the men might remain undiscovered for several hours, even all night. Before sunset flares were prepared along the landing course in readiness to receive the machine after dark. BUOYED BY REPORTS

General relief was felt at a minute to 10 when a message was received from the Post Office saying that the airplane had been sighted at Stenhen’s Island at the head of Pelorous Sound, Cook Strait. Ten minutes later this was confirmed by additional information that the machine had been seen

from Paekakariki Hill at nine o’clock and at Stephen’s Island at 9.50. The few peopie remaining on the racecourse were now prepared to wait for the landing. Major Wilkes and men of the Air Service put the final touches to the flares. All anxiety had now passed and the success of the first t- ns-Tasman flight only appeared to require a safe landing. Time wore on, however, and the machine did not appear. Then came " & report that the machine had been seen at Foxton. This did not agree with the Stephen’s Island story, and was discredited, but by 11 o'clock further messages said that the airplane apparently was endeavouring to land at Foxton. A report from the steamer Kaiwarra stating that the plane had been seen dropping flares off Porirua tended to confirm this, although it is not certain if the aviators carried flares. Motor headlights were arranged to illuminate the ground and a bonfire was lighted. A wag with an electric torch created a false alarm and much cheering by his antics on top of the now deserted grandstand. Soon the moon appeared over the hills and was cheered. ‘ The night was fine and starry at first,’but clouds began to gather at midnight and the breeze freshened. Informed of the probable arrival by broadcast several hundreds of motorists returned to Trentham between 11 and midnight. The flares and glare of motor lamps, ahcT the' reddish moon made a weird scene to which the photographers added an occasional flashlight taking pictures of the crowd and wives of the airmen, who were happy at the reports of the sighting of the plane. BACKERS’ OPTIMISM The backers of the flight state that they never doubted that the airmen would win through. They pay splendid tribute to the courage of Mrs. Moncrieff and Mrs. Hood. Th,ey also speak highly of the organisation and patience of Major T. M. Wilkes, also the steady behaviour of the disappointed crowd. 2YA, Wellington broadcasting station, had special lines on the ground and described the crowds and gave the latest reports to listeners. SYDNEY CROWDS CHEER FALSE NEWS RECEIVED By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 10.20 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. When the false news was received that the aviators had

landed at Wellington, people at the various entertainments where the announcement was made rose and cheered. News of their landing is now awaited with the greatest anxiety. The “Sydney Morning Herald,” in a leader, says:

“It requires little imagination to picture the demonstrations of relief and joy in New Zealand. Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood were pioneers. Their effort has been a great spectacle. They are heroes, and they have added the ram - of New Zealand airmen to the roll of the airmen who have opened ways for the world’s air routes of the future. ' Australians m-y join with the New Zealanders in pride that no stranger pilot has been the first to fly the Tasman, for the British flying-boats w hich arrive here this year might well have won that honour. The advent of quicker and closer connec- ' tion between the two Dominions

can do nothing but good. The airmen’s observations en route should contribute materially to a decision upon the expediency of aerial mail across this sea.” —A. and N.Z. UNCANNY INSTINCT MONCRIEFF IN FRANCE (From Our Resident Correspondent .) WELLINGTON, To-day. Many scraps of the life history of the two fliers went round the crowd during the day, the majority of which are probably untrue. Close chums of Lieutenant Moncrieff recalled his almost uncanny instinct j for sensing trouble with motors, and related how he refused once to take an airplane up in France, saying it was unsafe. Mechanics averred that it was quite “0.K.,” but the next pilot crashed with it. LISTENING-IN SIGNALS HEARD BROADCAST BY 2YA “They should be here at any minute now.” With this assurance Mr. Ba.ll, the editor-announcer at 2YA, Wellington, beguiled away the weary hours of waiting all last night and up to 2.30 this morning. He was broadcasting on relay from Trentham Park, where the airmen were expected to land after their passage across the Tasman. Prom early yesterday afternoon signals were received from the airplane, then over a thousand miles from New Zealand. Amateurs in Auckland heard the automatic signal—a long dash lasting for five minutes every quarter of an hour, and some state they received Morse messages, siow and rather jumbled, stating that the airmen were flying well. This is rather doubtful. THE LAST SIGNAL The last signal from the airplane was received at 6.30 p.m. by the Government radio station at Awanui. It is possible that the machine then approached too near New Zealand for any further transmission to be heard. This is due to a curious characteristic of short waves, which skip the first few miles before coming to earth. The distance which this silent zone covers varies with the wave-length, which explains how the transmission on 32 metres was still being received an hour after that on 22 metres was Inaudible.

In hundreds of homes in the Dominion last night the reports of the airmen were followed with keen interest. As soon as 2YA announced that the machine had been seen over Stephen Island, near Farewell Spit, dusty atlases were weaclied down from the book shelves, and the progress followed by radio. Though listeners could not join in the scenes at the "course, they saw everything through the vivid word pictures of Mr. Ball. They saw the giant flare in the centre of the park, and the rows of cars with their headlights lighting up the ground where the airmen were expected to land, and even heard the explosions of th€i rockets as they soared upward. MRS. MONCRIEFF’S MESSAGE At midnight Mrs. Moncrieff, wife of Lieutenant Moncrieff, spoke a few words to listeners. Her voice was rather low and tense, as though the hours of anxious waiting were having their effect. Her words were brave enough. She repeated her confidence in the safe arrival of her husband and Captain Hood, and thanked those who evening for their sportsmanlike had waited in the afternoon ard attitude. This last sentiment was endorsed by one of the backers of the venture, who stated that no impatient words had been heard from the crowd during the long vigil. Station 2YA is to be complimented on the splendid transmission last night. Listeners were kept in touch with happenings at the ground by progress reports every few minutes, the intervals being filled up by musical items from the studio. The major portion of the broadcast was relayed by the Christchurch station, 3YA.