THE AIRSHIP SCARE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2573, 6 August 1909, Page 5

THE AIRSHIP SCARE.

SUNDRY STORIES. [Pick Pitnss Association.) WAIPAWA, August 5. A resident gives a circumstantial, but uncorroborated, account of seeing an airship flying over Kaikora last week. He says: “It was grey, torpedoshaped, and'eontained three men, one of whom shouted at him in a foreign tongue. He watched the machine for some time. It appeared to bo under perfect ontrol. It carried two bright lights.” DARGAVILLE, August 5. Mr. Tom Hazelhurst, manager of Mr. Bailey’s run, Kaihu, Northern Wairoa, informed a “North Auckland reporter this afternoon that he had seen an airship pass Kaihu, on tho coast, about live miles from land. He watched it for fifteen minutes. On going down to the beach he missed sight of it, apparently through the height of the cliffs.

DUNEDIN, August 5. The Kelso correspondent of the “Otago Daily Times” has been informed by several people that they have seen the airship which was recently reported to have been in that district, amongst the number being several' Dunedin tradesmen working about six miles from Kelso They saw the airship distinctly. It circled round several times, and then went in the direction of the Hokonui mountains, returning some hours later and sailing towards the Blue Mountains. Lights were also seen on Saturday evening, and it is stated that the noise of some machine was also heard. MR. WRAdGE’S OPINION.

Air. Wragge sends the following telegram to the “Matarua Ensign”: “These mysterious lights are attributable to two causes —local secret airship trials and cosmic luminous dust of meteoric or cometary origin. I have observed the latter, and the former is very probable. Many people appear to have mistaken the Venus, Jupiter. and Mars fo*r the lights of an airship.