HAVE MISSING AIRMEN BEEN FOUND?

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 634, 10 April 1929, Page 1

HAVE MISSING AIRMEN BEEN FOUND?

MAY BE ON COAST

Report Says Southern Cross is 30 Miles from Drysdale Mission

SEARCHING AIRMEN ARE SCEPTICAL

A REPORT that the Southern Cross has been found on the coast 30 miles south-west of the Drysdale Mission Station has been received at Perth. The West Australian Airways’ pilots who are searching- the area are sceptical and suggest the possibility of the report having originated in a native rumour.

At the same time the Sydney "Daily Telegraph” says that the monks at the mission signalled to one of the searching planes that the Southern Cross was between Drysdale and Port George and that a boat was being sent down the coast.

(United I*.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) l Australian and N.Z. Press Association)

Reed. 10.6 a.m. PERTH, To-day. PILOT J. A. WOODS, Of the West Australian Airways, has arrived at Derby from Wyndham, via Drysdale, where he received word that the mission had news of the Southern Cross. The report was that the missing monoplane was 30 miles south-west of the mission station on the coast. The mission boat was reported to be standing by to pick up the crew. Thia may tie only a native rumour, and should not be hurriedly believed. Pilot E. A. Chater, also of the W.A. Airways, is, according to a message from Sydney, sceptical. The "Daily Telegraph” says that in answer to Mr. Woods’s questions the monks at the mission signalled that the Southern Cross was between Drysdale and Port George, and that a host had been sent down the coast. T here was no answer to a question asking if the crew was all right. The result of a search for the Southern Cross by airmen in four planes in the Kimberley area yesterday was entirely negative. Captain Holden, in the air liner Canberra, operated from the Wyndham baee and covered a great deal of country. A message rrom Port George mission says a lugger is to be dispatched to Walcott Inlet to pick up Air-Pilot Chater’s damaged machine. Lieut. Keith Anderson In his Westland monoplane arrived at Alice Springs yesterday and will leave for Daly Waters en route to Wyndham this morning. Captain Matheson'3 Goulburn Moth has arrived at Cunnamulla. His next stop will be Charleville. News of the missing airmen, if they are found by any of the coastal tribes, could to smoke-signalled over a. great distance in a day. As a tracker and runner the aborigine has proved faithrul, efficient and wonderful for endurance. He has tracked down white criminals—bushrangers, horse stealers and murderers—has found children and adults lost in the bush, and as a mesenger through trackless country and the territory of untamed tribes has succeeded when a white man might have perished. Though they are nomadic, wandering hunters, the blacks kept mostly to their tribal territory. When a man of a certain tribe is dispatched on a Journey that will take him through the realms of hostile tribes, he carries a message-stick, a kind of passport, and is not molested by his tribe's enemies. The wooden message-stick, with its curious markings, is as effective as a bodyguard to the black traveller. Smoke signals are the “wireless” of the wilds. The aborigines are adepts in producing "smokes” that convey meanings to distant observers. They have "codes” of a sort that, are well understood over wide territories, and signal messages in smoke for hundreds of mi’es. The "bush telegraph” has beaten the ttires sometimes, it is said, with news that was important Jo the aborigines. GOVERNMENT’S ACTION planes freed for search preparing the albatross Australian and W.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, Tuesday. Tile Prime Minister, Mr. S. M. Dnice, announces that the Federal Government will share the Western Australian committee’s expenditure on the search for the missing airmen of tha Southern Cross. The Government also has granted Permission for the suspension of the ~ r mail service in Western Australia lh order to release the machines for the search. A message from Perth •'ays the service was suspended to-day Pending developments. A telegram from Melbourne says the Minister of Defence, Sir William Glasgow, stated to-day that if any useful purpose could be served the air-craft-carrier Albatross would be dispatched to aid in the search for the southern Cross. A supply of 8,000 gallons of spirit snd 2,500 gallons of oil are now being Placed on board the Albatross. The Planes on board the carrier have been oiled up with petrol. IN CHARGE OF SEARCH magistrate at broome Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. Broadcast news concerning the outhern Cross states that the West Australian Government, after eonsulta>°n with the various societies conerned. has decided that th,e resident

magistrate at Broome should take charge of the search operations. Petrol and oil supplies are being rushed to the scene, and should reach Derby on Thursday. The Southern Cross is evidently on the landward side of Port George Mission station or in close proximity. The Canberra and a plane from Wyndham searched the Forrest River and Drysdale districts, but saw nothing but four lots of smoke, which they investigated without result. FEELING OF OPTIMISM FAITH IN MISSING MEN PROMINENT AIRMEN’S OPINIONS A v lATION experts in Australia have such confidence in the ability and resource of SquadronLeader Kingsford Smith that they all refuse to believe he and his party are not safe. Even the missing airmen’s relatives are optimistic. GROUP-CAPTAIN GOBLE. who was in the only aircraft, a seaplane, which hits ever been to Drysdale River: A forced landing there could possibly be effected without damage to the occupants of the aircraft. The beaches there were not favourable for the landing of planes. The absence of communication should not cause undue alarm. ... SIR KEITH SMITH: I am optimistic. but it must be remembered that the searchers will have no easy task to distinquish a plane of the colour of the Southern Cross if it has come down in hilly country. In an area where rocks, scrub, and trees may stretch for miles, the plane will be difficult to pick, and, after all, it appears quite a small object from a few thousand feet up. • • * BRIGADIER-GENERAL LLOYD, M.L.A.: This is a national emergency, and the nation should do all in its power to aid these men who have done more to advertise Australia than any others. COLONEL BRINSMEAD. Controller of Civil Aviation: I think the odds are 50 to 1 on the crew of the Southern Cross being safe, but, knowing the country, it is my opinion the odds are 50 to 1 on the plane being damaged. WING-COMMANDER WACKETT: My belief is that the plane descended somewhere in the region of the Port George Mission, but probably many miles away from the mission. CAPTAIN JONES, of the Civil Aviation Department, and one of Australia’s best pilots: I am convinced Kingsford Smith and his companions are safe. In fact I have such confidence in Kingsford Smith as a pilot that I think the Southern Cross is safe, too. • • • CAPTAIN FRANK NEALE for eight months was in charge of civil aviation in the district in which the Southern Cross is missing: I am sure that Smith would land on a beach, as he has done before. He made a forced landing on the Ninety-mile Beach, and has been exposed for some time, but he has come through safely. There would be plenty of water at Port George and game was plentiful. NO FEARS FOR SAFETY

MR. H. S. KENT, Manager of the Atlantic Union Oil Company: The plan© and her crew will be found. Knowing them as I do, I have no fears for their safety. 1 am inclined to the view that they have landed on a beach somewhere.

THE REV. J. S. NEEDHAM, chairman of the Australian Board of Missions, who has a close knowledge of the country: It is not improbable that they tried for a landing on the beach, for there are places around Forrest River where one could land at a pinch. MR. G. C. THOMPSON, of Brisbane, a theological student, who spent three years at Forrest River Mission: I am afraid the probability is that the Southern Cross is lying damaged in country which will make it impossible for the machine to take off again. If they are stranded and can get their bearings, they will probably set off to walk to Forrest River Mission, where a launch would immediately be placed at their disposal. AIR. T. J. BRADSTREET, of Newcastle. who has made many trips through Northern Australia: Wherever the airmen landed the natives would soon find them. Among the Myalls are men who can speak English, and if they are on friendly terms with the tribes' there would be no fear about food. A native runner could bring the news to civilisation, but it might take him some days to get through. AN AMERICAN OPINION, from station KGO, Oakland, California: There is some anxiety, but we know

Kingsford Smith and Ulm to be resourceful, and we have no fear-. WHAT RELATIVES THINK MR. KINGSFORD SMITH, father of the missing airman: There's no question about them being ail right. They’re isolated, that’s all ti is. If their wireless had not been put out of action we should know all about where they are. But there’s no need to worry. They know how to look after themselves. MRS. C. T. P. ULM: I’m quite sure that the men themselves are all right. In fact I expect they are worrying more than we because they can’t let us know where they are. They’ll know what anxiety they are causing. * * * MRS. H. A. LITCHFIELD is confident about the safety of her husband and the rest of the crew of the Southern Cross.