The Clarence valley Disaster.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1738, 19 June 1886, Page 4

The Clarence valley Disaster.

The following details of the disaster to ihe surveyors m the Upper Clarence Valley, en the 9th instant., is supplied l>y the Wairau correspondent of the Chrisbchnrch Te\egraph, under date of the 11th instant :- — Mr F. Stevensou Smith, District Surveyor, who arrived here this afternoon, states that when he and his party of seven left Stanley Vale they had only one foot of snow to contend with, and consequently thought lb.it the worst part of their journey was over, hut on getting down into (he low country travelling became worse and worse, "they being breast high m snow, and every footjof the road had to be fought through a blinding snqw~ v stovm. The firac of the party to show signs of distress was Mr L. Paske (nephew of the Governor). Messrs F. S. Smith and Begley remained, behind with him, rendering him all the assistance m their power, whilst the other* pressed forward m the hope of reaching St James sta > lion, and getting a relief party * from there. Their -eudeavonrs to keep 'life m him were without avail, and he succumbed about 10 p.m. Then Mr Hugh J. Thompson (of Richmond) began to show serious siirns of distress, and their whole endeavours were directed towards keeping him alive and getting him nearer to St James. They were unable to carry him, because of weakness, and the depth of snow,. and the darkness of the night, and it took them two hours to get him along one hundred yards, when they heard the welcome. voice of the relief > party, which bad coute out from St. James to i heir assistance, but poor Thompson died beofre they reached the station. It was most providential lhat one of the party (JWm. Mitchell, of Waiau), was able to force his way through the snow, and reach St. J:unes' station, and make known the state of affairs there,,,, otherwise there is not the slightest 'doubt that five more lives would haye been lost.