"I am afraid that one of the machines has got into difficulties, and that the other made the mistake of rendering assistance, thus causing both machines to crash whereas the sound one should have flown back to King’s Bay and returned with food for the marooned party. I am biased against aeroplanes, as the landing speed of Captain Amundsen’s aeroplane is 60 miles per hour, making a landing extremely difficult on rough ice. Captain Amundsen has 30 days’ food supply. If it becomes certain that Captain Amundsen is in trouble we may attempt to fly in the airship to the Arctic by various coasts, though the original plan was to carry the airship by sea to Spitzbergen. A direct flight would save 10 days, which might be vital for Captain Amundsen. We would then try to fly towards the Pole over Captain Amundsen’s route, and then towards Cape Columbia. Probably we would not be able to pick up the party as the airship would have lost much gas, but we could give them food and stores."
Gordon Coates tipped . . .
A considerable number of Reform members of Parliament are already in Wellington to attend the party caucus which is to commence at 2.30pm today. There is little more to be said meantime about the political situation. It is now taken as certain that Mr Coates will be selected as the new leader of the Reform Party.
— by ODT correspondent
. . . for prime minister
Congratulations to Mr Coates, Prime Minister of New Zealand! A little premature, do you say? Well, I am determined to be in early, if not first. This is the day of decision; and, though the matter may not have been finally settled, the conclusion appears to be of the foregone order. The name of Coates may one day be as familiar as the names of Seddon and Massey. And may it be many and many a year before my successor claims the dutiful privilege of laying a wreath upon his grave!
— by ‘Wayfarer’
The new chancellor
Mr T.K. Sidey is to be congratulated upon his unanimous appointment to the office of Chancellor of the University of Otago. The office is one of great distinction, and it is a high privilege to follow in the footsteps of such men as Dr Stuart, Sir Joshua Williams and Dr Cameron — to name three ex-chancellors who each served the University with ability and fidelity for a long series of years. But the office is also one to which are attached weighty responsibilities that can only be adequately discharged at the cost of a large amount of time and labour. It can hardly be expected that Mr Sidey will expend so much time as was employed by his immediate predecessor in the performance of the duties of the Chancellorship, but his devotion to the cause of education and his attachment to his Alma Mater are so whole-hearted that it may confidently be anticipated that he will spare no effort to justify the trust which the University Council has reposed in him.
For this reason, as well as for other reasons that are associated with his personal qualifications for the office, not only is Mr Sidey to be congratulated upon his appointment as Chancellor, but the University itself is also to be congratulated.
— editorial
— ODT, 27.5.1925 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
