MISSING LADS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1929, Page 4

MISSING LADS

Several of the searchers who went out on Thursday and Friday into tlie back country to join in tlie exploration of tlie higher parts for trace of the missing lads, returned on Saturday and Sunday without being able to report anything satisfactory as to their quest. The general conclusion reached appeared to he, according to tlie police report, that tragedy occurred in the attempt to cross the Harman river, one of the largest crossings on the way to i the divide. -

There has been some mis-statement as to the ages of the two lads. Park was iu,, and Morpeth only a year younger, and. not 10 as previously given out. Other youths had made the trip across j successfully, and it was but natural to think that these two lads would be successful. The route was' a well defined one, and if only good weather had been encountered, as might have been expected at this time of the year, the trip would have been successfully accomplished. It transpires that three young men who crossed from Kokatahi to Canterbury by way of Browning’s Pass, about a week in advance of the two lads who are. missing, encountered swollen streams by the way, in one of which a member of the party got into difficulties, and but for the ready ante of a companion nearby, ail dent would have resulted. It is manifest that in wet weather there are hidden dangers in stream crossings unless the greatest piticautions are taken.