BOY TRAMPERS SAFE

Chronicle (Levin), 28 May 1946, Page 4

BOY TRAMPERS SAFE

— Press Association

By Telegraph-

HASTINGS, May 27. Nine young missing trampers liave saf'ely arrived out on tlic Napier- Taihape' Koad wlier'e they had planned to do so, at 2.30 p.m. todav, three days later than intended. Their delayed arrival was due to very wet weather experieneed at the end of last week and to havjng moved down a spur in the wrong direetion and liaving to retrace their steps. With the clcar conditions that prevailed todav they were able fo come o^it on the planned route and reaeh the Napier-Tailiape Road at lvurij)apango, a few minutes before one o!i the search j)arties which had been following them. Sinee Wednesday the boys had had no permanent cover but they have been as comfortable as the weather would allow in tents and sleeping bags Vvith whieli they were equipped. They had food to last onlv till Pridav and when they made eontact with the searchers, they were in need of •something to eat. Their matches had been ruiiied in crossing the flooded Ngararoro River and they had had no liot meal since last Wednesday because they had been unalile to ligli't lires. The party shot deer and pigs with rifles carried but had no means of cooking the meat. The loss of the matches also accounted for their being unable to light iires to attract the searching planes which were seen yesterday ancl today. The boys were hungrv and tired and particularly in the later stages footsore but otherwise little the worse for their arduous experienee.