TASMAN GLACIER DISASTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4405, 23 January 1930, Page 3

TASMAN GLACIER DISASTER.

. Timnru, Last Night. Ore.ib mivation and hardship were s"'" "red by the party which left Ball hut on Tuesday morning to recover the bodies of the five vienf Sunday’s disaster. 'The unity comprised 15 members, beaded bv Guide Vie. Williams, G. E. Manning and an experienced alpinist, Constable IT. Macintosh, of Fairlie, and took its departure at 1 o’clock from the Ball lmt, vendible' the bodies at 3.30 pan. Tlie best mountaineering skill was necessary on the return .journey to pilot the palrtv through the moraline at the foot of the Tasman Glacier. Steep rock facings presented further impediments, especially in view of the fact that "the party was carrying bodies. At one stage, the track, was so steep Mint it was found advisable to remove two of the bodies from the stretchers and these were carried up the highest ridges.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST'.

Timarn, Last: Night. An inquest touching the death of the found young ladies and guide who perished on the Tasirian Glacier was held at the Hermitage today before Mr. E. MacDonald, of Fairlee, tOoroner and a jury of four. dmirles Tlilgendorf, employed as a guide nt the Hermitage for the last two seasons, said on January Ifi he. left the Hermitage with a party for the Mai to Brim hut. He was at the hut when Bloomfield arrived with his party of four ladies on January 18. On the following day, Bloomfield and party loft the Malte Brim hut at 10.30 a.m. to return to the Hermitage. Witness told Bloomfield he would follow after lie cleaned up the hut. It was raining slightly when the Bloomfield party left. At that time, witness did not- think it would be a rough day. They were clothed much as were all women who visit - ed the. hut. Witness tidied up the hut and followed them about, an hour and a half afterwards.

It was raining very heavily, with lightning and thunder and as he continued his journey, the weather became worse and a gale sprang up. When witness reached the glacier, the conditions of the ice were very had and he had had to put on crampons. Even with crampons, the going was very difficult.

The blizzard was the worst ho had known. “After I left the Malle Brnn hut, the blizzard increased in intensity. Vivid Hashes of lightning were cleaving the heavens. Conditions were so bad that the -metal head of my ice axe sparked and sang whenever the lightning struck it.

BODIES FOUND. “Just, as I reached the de la Beebe corner, I saw a woman lying on the ice and discovered she was dead. She was lying face downwards in a hollow in fche snow, apparently having been sheltering from the wind. About 30 yards further on, I found another woman. Her face was cut on the cheek, hut I did not take particular notice of it. About 100 yards further on, there were two more women, one of them with her face under water, the other was lying- beside her companion. They were both dead.” Witness pulled them out of the water on to hard ice and proceeded to go. down to the Ball hut. Very soon after he left the bodies, the weather improved and he made good time. The bodies were about six miles from the Ball hut which witness reached at about 3.30 p.in., a little moke than three hours and a half after he had left Malte Bran. He found the bodies -at about 2.30 pan. He reported the tragedy to the guide in charge at the Ball hut.

At the time he discovered the bodies of the women, he did not see that of Bloomfield, probably because he was crawling -on the ice when the blizzard was raging. Witness crawled on his hands and knees to the corner. The wind was so severe that lie was unable to stand up. INADEQUATE CLOTHING.

Dr. Charles Stanley Fraser, of limaru, said he examined the bodies of the live victims. Miss Brown was wearing light drill trousers, with silk and wool combinations. She was well protected round the chest with three light woollen vests and a blouse. Miss Monteith had inadequate protection rouud the chest from cold. Miss Smith had riding trousers and a jersey, with inadequate underclothing. Miss Keane was clothed in a suede lumber jacket and khaki riding She also had inadequate underclothing. Bloomfield’s chest was bare of clothing and he was wearing a pair of light grey slacks and airtex underpants. Witness could find no evidence of injury to the hones or joints of any of the deceased. His opinion of the cause of death was that they died of cold and exposure. There was no evidence of anything else whatever.

After a retirement lasting a quarter of an hour, the jury returned with the following verdict: “That the deceased died on the Tasman Glacier on Sunday, January 19, 1930, their deaths being due to exposure as the result of being- caught in a blizzard.” The jury expressed its deepest sympathy to relatives and friends ol' the deceased in the terrible tragedy and also expressed its admiration of the efforts of the guides and relief party in their ordeal in recovering the bodies, also the Public Works Department and its employees, also the well-known .alpinist, Mjr Guy Mannering, for assistance »in recovering the bodies.