PROGRESS OF THE SEARCH.

Shannon News, 26 April 1927, Page 2

PROGRESS OF THE SEARCH.

MANGAHAO AND WELLINGTON MEN IN DUNDAS REGION.

Since tit:: search began, on Thursday last, tight parties made up of local and ■Wellingtt a v \sidents ai;e known to have left Levin, and of these all have returned except three members of Mr Fyfe’s party,who are now working, in co-operation with a number of men from the Mangahao hydro-electric works, searching in the vicinity, of Mt. Dundas. Particulars of the personnel of the search parties, the dates when they left, anrl the country they searched, are given below. — A. Doig and Greig Bros.—April 21, Mt.< Hector track to Mt. Alpha. Fyfe,’Mclntosh, Butcher and Hart. April 21, Ohau R, to Mt. Dundas. , G. Capper, W. Stewart, G. L- ‘Adkin and W. H. Walker, April 22, footbills between Ohau and Waikawa rivers. J. Cooper, W. Peters J. Honore, F E. Parker, and J. Sadd.—April 22, Makeretu Biver (a tributary of the Oliau). W. R. Harris, S, Milne, H. W. Lattey, A. H. Hinds and T. R. Smith, April 23, Ohau R.. to Mt. Dundas. J. Rolston, G. Capper, G. >ll. Fildes and G. B. Wilson, April 23, Mt. Waiopehu and head forks of Ohau river. A. Doig, Greig Bros., S. Rolston and Bismarck* April 24, Mt; Waiopeliu ridge. Just, Boyce, and two others, April 24, Mt. Waiopeliu ridge.. Unfortunately no clue to the whereabouts of the boys has been discovered, although a huge area of rough country has been examined with the greatest care. Yesterday afternoon Mr G. L. Adkin and Constable Bagrie spent considerably time organising another large party, which, it was proposed, should go out to-day to relieve those who are at present engaged in exploring the range. Eventually, however, it was decided to defer action until news was received of. the result of the searches'that are being made from the Wairarapa side. No information on this point was available from Masterton last night. All the Wellington men, with the exception of Messrs Mclntosh, Butcher and Hart (who formed the original party under Mr Fyfe), returned to Levin yesterday afternoon and proceeded back to the city. A Palmerston party, consisting of Messrs Just, Boyce and two others, who went out on Sunday, returned to the pipe bridge yesterday afternoon and camped there last evening. Of sixteen men who went up the Mangahao valley from the hydro works, five have returned and the remainder were at the foot of Mt. Dundas yesterday. The possibility has been considered that the missing lads travelled as far as Dundas, but that on Sunday they ‘were driven back by a fog coming on in the middle of the day, and they may have been trapped in a portion of the Ohau Gorge. This place was one which the searchefs were unable to penetrate last ; week owing to-fog and flood-wa-ter, necessitating their crossing the ridge instead. An attempt, it is expected, will shortly be made to investigate this area.

WEEK-END OPERATIONS. COUNTRY EXPLORED TO TOP OF DUNDAS. Two parties, the first; comprising W. R. Harris (leader) of Levin, and S, Milne H. W. Lattey, A. H.. Hinds and T. R. Smith, of Wellington, and the other, Jim Rolstor. and G. Gapper, qf Levin, and G. M. Fildes and G. B. Wilson of Wellington left the Pipe Bridge on Gladstone Road at 4.30 a.m. on Saturday They entered the bush at 6 a.m. and parted company on?the crest of the Waiopehu north leading ridge at 7.30. Harris’s party descended to the lower forks of the Ohau River and Ro'.ston’s party continued up. the leading ridge to Waiopehu. Rolston’s party saw the remains of a camp fire and fresh ■ undergrowth cut at 2000 ft (probably a d.eer-Eftalken’4 (eamp). For the last 500 ft of ascent progress was slow on account of dense sub,-alpine scrub, principally leatherleaf * but the summit of Mt. Waiopehu, 3588 ft, was reached at 2 p.m. The party camped on top, having found it impossible to go further bkek into the range because of the thick fog —the range of visibility being only some five yards. [

The next morning (Sunday) the fog J was still so dense that it was impossible'to find.the, second or “twin’’ peak of Waiopehu. ’ The party broke camp f af 10 a.m. and set off down the leading ridge back jo the clearings. At 11.30 they met a Palmerston Forth party, Messrs Just, Boyce and two others, going up the ridg'e. At 12.30 they met 1 Mr A. Doig’s party, including Greig Bros., S. Rolston and Bismarck. Pro- • feeding, the party struck across country to the head forks of the Oliau River and camped there at 4,15 p.in. In the meantime Harris’s party reached the Ohau River at the lower forks and ascended the main stream to the head forks. The next day they cross ed Deception Ridge (Ohau-Mangahao ■ divide) to Avalanche Clearing. Here they joined up with Fyfe’s party (Fyfe, Mclntosh, Butcher and Hart), who had already climbed Mt. Dundas in the fog in search of the missing youths. On the arrival of Harris’s party, the two parties again climbed Dundas under very difficult conditions and made a thorough search of the upper slopes and summit (4944 ft), without however, lidding any trace of Diedrieh and Scanlon. On returning to Avalanche Clearing .they found a party of sixteen from the Mangahao HydroElectric Works had arrived via the Mangahao River. From Avalanche Clearing all the local men and the Wellington men save three returned to Levin via the Ohau River and Waiopehu Ridge, reaching the clearings at 2.30 p.m. and Levin about 4.30 p.m. yesterday. They were unanimous in stating that a further search on this side of the range under present weather conditions was certain to be fruitless; and the setting out of a strong party organised by Mr Adkin. and Constable Bagria to go into the ra%e the following morning at. day-break, has been post-

poned until news has been received from the Wairarapa side. The seven Wellington men arrived in Levin in tramping kit, fit and well, but bearing signs of a strenuous struggle against dense bush and adverse weather conditions. They admitted that that portion of the Tararua Range in from Levin is wilder and more difficult than anything previously experienced by them, but expressed a determination to return and assist to conquer this territory by cutting a track to give safe access to the high ridge of Mt. Dundas. They also expressed their appreciation of the prowess of the local men, Messrs W;. R, Harris, G. Gapper and Jim Rolston, who acted as guides qn their arduous search. The Wellington party left by ..ear for Otaki to connect with the Wellington train and were, given a hearty and appreciative vend-. Off. _