LOST IN BUSH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 234, 24 May 1932, Page 5

LOST IN BUSH

party separates ■ SEARCH IN ROUGH COUNTRY NEAR HOROHORO MOUNTAIN TWO MAORIS MISSING Some anxiety is felt for the saf ety of two young Maoris, Messrs. K. Haera and Ihihei Kirimoa, members. of a party of four who left the Horohoro settlement at 9 o-lclock on Sunday morning on a pig-shooting expedition in the„eountry at the back of Horohoro Mountain, and had not returned late last night. The "two other members of the party, Messrs. Goldsmith and Mangu Manuel, were discovered by search parties late yesterday afternoon, and reported that they had lost touch with the other pair while seeking a track out of the bush. Manuel and Goldsmith were both very cold and stiff from exposure, but were otherwise none tbe worse for their experience. They stated that the party had killed a pig which they had divided into four sections, but apparently none of the four earried matches or food. It was shortly after killing the pig that Manuel and Goldsmith lost touch with their companions, who apparently followed another track through the bush. Haera and Kirimoa each had a portjon of the killed meat, but withput matches would not be able to use it for food. The party originally intended to be out only the day, and when they did not return on Sunday night anxiety was felt for their safety. None of the four had had any experience of bush work or was well acquainted with the country into which they ventured. Search parties were nuickly organised and yesterday upwards of 30 men were combing the bush on the plateau at the back of the mountain. Manuel and Goldsmith stated that at one stage, they followed an .old survey line for over nine miles before they finally decided that it was leading them in the wrong direction. The country on the plateau, although comparatively flat, is covered in heavy bush. The very absence of higher ground will make it more diificult for the wanderers to obtain their bearings, while the heavy rain which fell yesterday and on Stmday night will also make' the going very difficult. Efforts to locate the two missing members of the party were proseeuted until nightfall yesterday, when the search parties left the bush and returned to the settlement. Further parties will go out again to-day and the police will assist in the search.