LOST IN THE BUSH.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1925, Page 4

LOST IN THE BUSH.

A MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS. AUCKLAND, Jan. 2. About two o’clock on the afternoon of Christmas Day Air U. J. Horne and his two sons, aged 15 and 11 respectively, and Air W. Edwards, residents of Whakamarama, in Te Pune riding, set out for a walk along the Tni track, lending through partly workcd-otit bush and dense hush towards Matamata. Messrs Homo and Edmonds told their wives that they would return the same evening. They lost their way in the heavy hush, hut kept together. They bail no food with them. They remained in the hush nil Christmas night in heavy rain and could not light a lire as their matches were damp. On Friday afternoon, about three o’clock, they reached a hut on the .Matamata side of the hush, about 10 or 12 miles from Whakamarama. This hut was occupied by two men. The lost party were given food and then set out on the return journey to Whakamarama. Again they lost their way and remained in the hush all Friday night. They now had dry matches and lit a fire on Saturday. They tried to get through to AVhakamarama, but only succeeded in getting hack to the lint already referred to and were again given food by the occupiers. Concern was felt at Whakamarama and a search party was organised. It worked the hush on Saturday until nightfall, but did not lind any trace of the missing ones except the discovery of their coats and jerseys which owing to the warm weather on Christmas Day they had discarded beside the 'I tti track. The police at Tauranga were then advised, and a motor-ear with Constables O’Neill and Davies and three natives from Wairoa reached Whakamarama early on Sunday. Prior to their arrival another search party had been organised, and 28 men went out. They were supplied with guns for signalling and provisions for the missing party. The search party broke into different gangs. AYlieu one man was crawling under a log the trigger of his gun was caught- and the.gun went off. with the result that F. Attwood received portion of the shot in his loft shoulder blade. His mates carried lii.m out to the tramline and he was placed in the horse truck and brought down to Whakamarama. Bator lie was removed to Tauranga Hospital. After receiving food at the hut on the second occasion, the lost- party again set out for AVhakamarama. but once again lost their way. Bate on Sunday the wanderers were, discovered by one of the searchers and helped to AVhakamarama, where they arrived shortly after eight o’clock. They were greatly exhausted and the younger lad had to he carried on the last stage of the journey.