NIGHT OUT IN BUSH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20070, 17 October 1939, Page 11

NIGHT OUT IN BUSH

LOST PARTY OF HIKERS EARLY MORNING RESCUE SUFFERING FROM COLD Six young women and two youths, member:; of a tramping parly who had the unenviable experience of spending last night out on the hills in the Waimata region, were located shortly after midnight by a search party and arrived home at 2.30 a.m. to-day. They suffered from cold, but to-day were little the worse for their experience. Those temporarily lost wore Misses Bobbie Scott, Kathleen Nowell, Phyllis Nicklin, Lois YVhitty, Vera Clark. Enid Stevens, and Messrs. Allan and Ken Perston. The lost party was a section of a group of 25 members of the Chrisp Tennis School who started off at f a.in. yesterday on a tramp over the hills, the proposed circuit being about 30 miles across country from the Riverside road. The hike was organised by Mr. R. Richardson and all went well until some of the party decided not to climb to the trig station on Motu-kea Peak. It was then that the young people divided into two parties, the one that was subsequently lost taking a different valley. Search Organised The larger party arrived at the Hole-in-the-wall at 6 p.m. and expected to join up with the others according 'o previous arrangements. After waiting an hour it was thoughi that the others had gone on ahead and a start was made for town. At 10 p.m. the missing party had not returned and Mr. Richardson organised a search party of over 20. Half of the searchers were led by Mr. Harry Nunns on the Riverside road section of the route traversed by the Hampers and by Messrs. Richardson and Tom O’Grady on the Hole-in-the-wall section. The missing hikers were located three or four miles on the inland side of Mr. Walter McLean's property at the Hole-in-the-wall. The searchers were finally attracted by the light of a fire that had been lit by the missing party soon after the fall of darkness. It was learned that the party had ar idea of the direction in which they would find the road to Kaiti, but could do nothing in the darkness. Although they were not prepared tor a night out in the opci they decided to adop‘ tile course of lighting a large fire anc’ awaiting daylight. They were greatly relieved when they first heard the calls of the search parties.