THE MOUNTAIN FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 273, 28 April 1915, Page 4

THE MOUNTAIN FATALITY.

THE IXQUKST. SAFROCAKDIXO THE CLIMBERS, (By Wire—Own Correspondent.)' Stratford, Last Night. At the Stratford Court-house to-night before *r. C D. Sole, J.P., Acting-Cofo-'' ner, and a jury of which Mr. S. 'Ward w:is chosen foreman, an inquest was held on the body of: Henry Alfred Pcarce, thevictim «f the recent fatality on Mount' pigment.

William S. IVarce, of Ngaio, Wellington, identified deceased as his brother, aged 31, single, a letter-carrier and sorter employed in the Wellington Post Olhco. His health wag good. Deceag- V oil left his home at Ngaio on Monday, April l!l, on his motor-cycle, en route to lAuckland, via New Plymouth. Deceased never intimated his intention of climbing Mount Egmont. - 1 •Tames Murphy, manager of the Dawson Fall's Hostelry, stated that deceased aimed at the Dawson Falls house at iiLout 7.1 i.) p.m. on Wednesday. Thesame evening witness heard him tell another visitor that he had left Uruti t ml morning on his cycle and -had cycled through New Plymouth and around by Opunakc to Dawson Falls house. Witness asked deceased when he in-' tended to climb the mountain. Defeased replied that he would go up as fi as Fantham's Peak in the morning, and if it was a fine day he would like to go to the top. Witness warned him, a-i he usually did all visitors, about the danger of going up by himself. Decensed said that he felt fit and well, and thought that he would go on Thurgday morning just after breakfast. Heleft the house about 9.30 a.m.,,witness putting six or seven climbing nails' ln> each boot, and giving hi m an ice axe, some lunch, and a bottle of tea. Whendeceased left the. Mountain House he' Wore a colored coat. Witness saw nomore of deceased' until his body was found As deceased had not returnedi at 4.-20 p.m., witness set out in search, and went to the top of Fantham's Peak but could find no trace of deceased On" returning he inquired of two others, \vho had been up to the moss line ancT mid returned between 2 and 3 p.m., but. they had not seen deceased. The samonight witness communicated with Mr Oi-iihani, of the North Egmont Hostelry' who promised to go up to the top 'of the mountain with his guide the following morning. On Friday Messrs. Robinson, Craig and witness set out forFantham's Peak. At the head of the iuipini River he found tracks of de- ' ceased, and followed them down as far ■as the Mangawhoro River, where they were lost. The party then returned to the house, and witness communicated with the police. Arrangements weremade for a search party for Saturday morning, and at daybreak a party of well over twenty-five set out and search, ed all day without success, some members not reaching the house until 7.30< P in. On Sunday a further search party set out at daylight, with the result that deceased was found roughly a quar. v to.- of a mile in the alpine scrub, which is very dense and very difficult country to get through-countrv that would soon exhaust a man if he was not fit. In fact the party had to crawl oa then- hands and knees to get through. Witness had been three years at theIpuont House, and considered that C'.crythnig that could possibly be donewas done to try mid find deceased. Witness assisted in bringing the "body to tho Mountain House. In his opinion death was due to exhaustion and cold.' On Thursday night it was very foggy.. 1 he fog came on early in the afternoon. In fact it was frozen mist. On Friday and Saturday the weather was fine, but very cold at night, On Saturday night the thermometer registered 34 degrees. Ur. Stevens deposed that lie had examined the body, which was that of a well-nourished and healthy man. Hofound no hones broken. There were some slight abrasions on the face and back more especially in the legs helow " the knee. There was no sign of any serious injury. After hearing the evK denoe of the previous witness, he was. of opinion that death was due to cold and exposure, and that deceased died on Thursday night. Ernest C.' Robinson, one of the search party stated that on Sunday mornin* ™-ti at t w-„ 1 ! ol,so at ° ani -> together with Mr. Willis, of Rowan Road. About fi a.m. they found deceased. Witness was one of the party that conveyed the body to the house. He corroborated .Murphy s evidence regarding the search am. considered that under the circumstances everything possible was done. -to deceased's brother: Deceased was lying as if exhausted. Witness saw no, writing or anything near the body. Sergeant Dale gave formal evidence. A verdict was returned that deceased came by his death as the result of exposure on the slopes of Mount Egmont. Ihe jury added a rider that the hgmont National Park Board should be asked to consider the making of a, by-law prohibiting any person singly climbing the mountain without a guide who is under the jurisdiction of the board.

The jury also expressed admiration of the good work done by the search party, especially bv Mr. Murphy The brother of deceased thanked all those who had assisted in the search. The body is to be taken to Wellineton for interment. '