NEAR AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1920, Page 5

NEAR AUSTRALIA.

AIRMAN DUE THiS WEEK. AN ADVENTUROUS FLIGHT By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyrijlit, Bafavia, April 12. Matthews is leaving Woltevreden on Wednesday morning, without calling at Sourabayu, and flying straight to Bima, which is not connected telegraphically, ."so that Matthews may arrive in Australia at the week-end without further notice of his movements, provided he does no', change his idea and land elsewhere.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

Judging from recent cable messages, Captain Matthews' aeroplane mu't now present a very battered and weatherbeaten appearance. Captain Matthews left London on October 21 last year, the first Australian airman to start on a flight to Australia. After being held up by storms and, adverse weather in Germany, Matthews succeeded in reaching Novisod, in Servia, where both lie and the machine had, a very rough time. B,v this time Captain Ross Smith, who left London on November 12, was well nliotid oE him and also other competitors who subsequently met with misfortune and abandoned the flight. Contain Matthews, however, flew on to Bagdad, but after leaving there he crashed at Bander Abbas. Makinz temporary repairs, he got as far as •Task, on the Persian coast, where he was forced to land on the sea beach. His machine, where it lay on th? beach, was washed by the waves of the sea' when the tide rose, and scorched by the sun all day. However, the ingenuity of Captain Matthews and his mechanic. Sergeant Kay, proved equal to the task, atld effecting to pairs, and nursing the now badly warped propeller, the Sopwith Wallaby limped to Karachi. The gallant airman's hopes of obtaining a new propeller were doomed to disappointment, but with fine sporting spirit he waited for Lieutenants'Parer and Mcintosh, his fellow competitors, who started from London in -Tanuarv last, and togethev ihey left, for "Delhi. l'l'om Delhi Matthews has made slow, but steady progress, and his arrival in Australia will be a reward for a very gallant and persistent effort. Received Anril 13, 11.40 p.m. Weltvrcden, April 13. Matthews has chanced his mind, r.nd will not start before Thursday morning. He proceeds to a landing ground at firisee, near Sourabaya.—Aua.-N.Z. Cable Assn.