RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1931, Page 5

RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

INQUEST ON STANTON.

PARTY LEADER’S ACCOUNT.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association)

TAUMARUNUI, Sept. 30

The inquest on Warwick Stanton, victim of the Ruapehu tragedy, opened to-day before Coroner A. S. Laird.

Graham Brook Bell gave evidence 'that he was one of the party of fourteen that climbed Mt Ruapehu on Saturday, August 29th. Theii’ equipment included two forty-feet ropes, for ice axes, a compass, an altimeter, a spyglass and a torch j one day’s rat ons for eighteen persons, and one flask of brandy and whisky mixed, with additional garments in a rucksack. When the weather became bad, the party left the crater basin, and proceeded down the mountain. The visibility was bad. They used the compass, and found their way down to a plateau, bounded on three sides by gorges, before midnight, spending the night in shelter. The separation of the party took place between 8.30 and 9 o’clock on the Sunday morning. They travel*' led down the slopes by glissading in panties of two and three, and when they got down, the party was of. necessity strung out a good bit. The leaders went on down the valley faot, ttn<V the rear party of six did not see them again. SEPARATION OF PARTIES,

Witness thought the party ahead to be - out of danger, and to be making for the Chateau, which they expected to reach easily, Witness and his party got into the river valley. They follow-' ed down the river valley, looking for a track running east, as indicated on the map. “Witness knew then that they were at the west of 'the Chateau. On failing to find the track, they went into -the bush to see what the going was like there in order to make for the road. It was difficult going, and they decided it would. be too long a job to make the road, and decided to retrace their steps up the valley, with the intention of locating themselves, and of traversing the snowline to the east; and shortly after this they were rescued. •

Witness said the visibility was bad from 3.30 on the Saturday afternoon until 7.30 on the Sunday, morning, when it improved, but the clouds were very low. ■ '

Harold John Addis described ■ the wanderings of the other party until he and Stanton decided that, as some of the party were exhausted, they would push on for help. On the Monday morning, they took their bearings and mistook Hanhangotahi for Nghauruhoe. They made plans according-y and had their surmise been correct, they would have come out all right, '•but’*fife Their judgfhenjt was ihcHPi'cCt;' they became further involved. There was no Bun to give the direction. Witness and Stanton followed the stream until Stanton became exhausted. Witness considered it his duty to push on for assistance. He did so, after making Stantop comfortable, Stanton, at the time, did n»t appear to understand what witness was saying.

Richard Cobbe, manager of the Chateau, gave evidence that anxiety was felt for the party about eight o’clock on Saturday night. A party went out searching and .stayed out all night. Witness sent another party out early on the Sunday morning. Witness then detailed the further measures that were taken to find the lost mountaineers. At the Stanton inquest, when Cobbe concluded his evidence, Graham Bell said that prior to the party leaving for the mountains, he obtained the necesaa ry equf |>men)t from Guido O. Pedersen, and although Mr Cobbe was not aware that the students had left to climb Ruapehu, the Guide was aware of the fact. Sergeant Sievyer gave evidence regarding the organisation of the search parties from Taumarunui and other King Country towns. Two car loads of searchers were sent from Taumarunui on the Sunday afternoon. Witnjss kept in touch with the Chateau during the evening. The Management of the Chateau appeared confident the missing party would be rescued. On Monday, witness communicated with Mr C. A. Boles, Mayor of Taumarunui, •• nd as the result of communication with the Chateau, a large search party left Taumarunui soon after midnight, and on ari’ival at the Chateau, the men were sent into the bush in parties, of six, fully equipped. Witness described further measures taken to reco -er the missing students and Stanton, until September 12th, when Mr W. Nelson and his party of surveyors took over the search. Witness examined Stanton’s body at the morgue. The hands and nose were slightly frost bitten, but the body was in a remarkably good state of preservation. On Friday, September 18th, between 300 and 400 men engaged in searching. The response to the call for assistance was magnificent, and the men did splendid work, and gave the searchers every assistance. FINDER OF THE BODY.

William George Nelson, who led the survey party which recovered Stanton’s body, outlined the measures taken to comb the bush, and the finding of the body, after his conference with Addis had narrowed the area to thirty acres. In witness’s opinion, the body was as Addis lef it. The body was well preserved, owing to its being covered with snow for a week, and to heavy frosts. The Coroner said Bell had displayed great judgment in leading the party down the mountain. The trouble was

not due to his leadership, but to the breaking away of ,a section ,of the party. He considered Addis acted in a proper manner in pushing on after he left Stantion in order to get as&itance. The Coroner paid a tribute to the men who responded to a call for help in a manner characteristic of the British race. No blame was attachable to anyone. THE FINDING. The verdict was that Stanton’s death was due to syncope, caused by exposure and exhaustion.