SEARCH MEASURES

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

SEARCH MEASURES

WELLINGTON TUG TO GO OUT POST OFFICES TO WATCH (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, To-day. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister of Finance and Acting-rime Minisister, has announced, after consultation with his colleagues, the Hons. F. J. Rolleston, G. J. Anderson and J; A. Young, that some of those connected w-itli the flight interviewed the Ministers of Finance, Defence and Marine this morning, and it was arranged to get an airplane from Christchurch immediately, with a view to making a search within practicable airplane range. The machine is expected to reach Trentham at 1.30 p.m. The Minister of Marine has arranged for the Wellington Harbour Board’s tug Toia to go out and search within a range to be .decided upon in consultation with the Air Department. All post offices along the coasts of both islands have been asked to keep a strict look-out for signs of the missing airplane, and the public is asked to report any observations. The airplane to search for the airmen carries no wireless and will have to come back and report if it sees anything. CAPT. BUCKLEY LEAVES FIVE HOURS’ FLYING CAPACITY (Special to THE SUX.) CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. Captain M. Buckley left Wigram Flying School for Trentham at about one o’clock in a DH9 machine, accom. panied by Air-Mechanic A. N. Smith. The plane has a fuel capacity for fivehours, but though the most suitable plane in the country, it is unfitted to make a thorough search. Presumably it will search the coast and hills and 150 miles out to sea. PASSED OVER N.Z. EASY ERROR TO MAKE NEED FOR WIRELESS EXPERT Press Association. DUNEDIN, To-day. Mr. Victor Carmine, a friend of Lieut. MoncrietT, with whom he tried to organise the flight over two years ago, is at present here. He expresses the opinion that the aviators have flown past New Zealand which would take only 30 minutes to pass over. If the weather was cloudy rcckets and flares would probably not be seen by the aviators. Mr. Carmine, who is a wireless expert, stresses the need for an expert operator in such ventures. Had the Aotea-roa carried one she would have been in no danger of going astray because they would have been able to determine pretty well the distance from the various stations. HAZY IN STRAIT ARAHURA’S REPORT OFFICER ridicules story Press Associatioyi. NELSON, To-day. Captain Wildman. of the Arahura, reports that the weather was very hazy from Wellington to Stephen’s Island, especially overhead, and he is certain no airplane was seen from his

vessel. From Stephen’s Island to Nelson all was very clear. There were two officers on the bridge and two look-out men. and not one saw any signs of an airplane. Captain Wildman says the visibility was not good all through the Strait. Some stewards and passengers reported seeing an airplane when the vessel was rounding Jackson’s Head, about 11 p.m., but this is ridiculed by all the deck hands. The steward who first thought he saw the airplane stated this morning it was low down, between the vessel and Jackson’s Head, and was passing quickly eastward. The captain states this was obviously the light of a scow passing at the time, and was never regarded as anything else by himself, his officers, or any deck hands.