EGMONT TRAGEDY.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1927, Page 3

EGMONT TRAGEDY.

(By Telegraph Per Press Association.) H A WEK A. .1 lino 2\. An inquest ton,Ting „„ 1 1„. il,* ol M‘ -sors P. M. Rat ban, ami Noel A oilier Baines, who died ~,i .Mount. Eginont early in .May was hold ta-dav Militant Dennis Allen related how he and other members of the party had set out to make the ascent. Thev had hoped to return to Dawson Falls the same evening. T''e | arty had travelled light, taking only one knapsack. They found steps made by previous party, and found no great difficulty following them. Everything was iii order, but Baines was out of training. They reached the summit without mishap and after a spell of twenty minutes, commenced the decent. None of tho party lelt nervous about coming down although they realised it would ho harder. Taylor was the first to go down, and he was f'olluwored by Baines Allen and Latham in that order. After about forty minutes in defending the accident occurred, Baines missing his footing.

“AYo were able to hold his weight, but Afr T'ayor fell over backwards.” •said witness who described how tho party slipped until it reached a bump on a ledge of the couloir, down which they slid. Tho snow was quite lull'd. As soon as the party stopped, witness got up and cut the ivpe round Ills body. All were practically unconscious, although none lay practically still. Latham was groaning, and had a big wound in. his forehead. Witness got no reply from him. Taylor raised himself on his elbow and tried without success to say something. Baines was lying with his head down the slope. AV it ness picked him up and turned his head, so that he lay with his head up hill. He realised he could do nothing, so lie started off for the .Mountain House, following the steps in tho ice for some distance, and sliding the rest. He crossed the plateau between Fanthaui’s Peak and the main peak, and commenced going down the ridge from the former. By this time, mist had come up nearly tj> Fat-ham's Peak and he could not find the track. He crossed from one ridge to tho other, hut by the time he reached where the senth was up to his shoulders, he iluul not found the track. Tt was then dark, •tie managed to make his way down tho Kaptmi Gorge, which he located by tho sound of water. He travelled along the river-hod until lie struck Wilson's Pool, where he knew that tho track crossed the river. He then followed the track to the Mountain House, reaching tho latter about i .45 p.m., too late to give .Murphy directions, as (ho had already started lor i the summit. "Witness did not think that Latham was dead when he lelt for the hostel.

Dr Sinclair gave evidence of finding the bodies. His opinion was that Baines Intel bled to death. A verdict was returned of accidental death, with no blame attachable to anyone. All searchers were coniine tided.