MISSING AIRMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 257, 20 January 1928, Page 12

MISSING AIRMEN

RELATIVES REFUSE TO ABANDON HOPE ( SEARCHERS STILL BUSY (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, To-day. Such is the amazing power of faith that some of the closest relatives of Lieutenant Moncrieff, the lost Tasman flyer, still hold hopes for his safety, and are anxious that the search of the hills for the Aotea-roa be continued. Their belief that the airplane did reach New Zealand has been strengthended in two ways. Mrs. Jeromson, a sister of Lieutenant Moncrieff, has received a large number of messages from Spiritualists saying that the spirits are reporting through mediums that the aviators are to be found near Kaitoke, near the spot from which smoke signals have been seen, and are still being seen by the forest ranger, Mr. Phillips, and his brother. It will be remembered that Mr. Phillips first reported having seen three distinct objects on the slopes of Mount Omega, and it was some days before these could be investigated by the searchers owing to tlie rough nature of the country. Then Mr. Phillips noticed smoke balls rising from another direction, and Captain Findlay flew from Trentham specially to probe this story shortly before he returned to Christchurch. The vicinity has also been visited by Mr. Whiteman, from Maungaroa,'without success, but within the last few days Mr. Phillips has again reported signals from the same area, and observations have also been made by Featherston people. A party left Wellington at daybreak this morning to make another search, and two experienced bushmen from Featherston also set out from that direction with the same object in view It was found earlier in the week that one report of lights having been seen in Martinborough district had not been thoroughly investigated owing to an oversight, and a search party was dispatched to cover the country concerned. This party returned to Martinborough late last night after a strenuous day and night out without success. It would be a great labour, involving considerable time to search the rough country between Bullhill and Mount Mable really thoroughly, but they scanned it in the best possible way.

The Hon. F. J. Rolleston, Minister of Defence, has written to the president of the Tararua. Tramping Club expressing his appreciation of the organisation and search work carried out in connection with the search. He states that the Government fully appreciates the great difficulties the trampers and many others associated with the search had to face, and desires that thanks be extended to them.