ROCK OUTCROP DANGER

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1940, Page 8

ROCK OUTCROP DANGER

manganui gorge hazard PROTECTION SUGGESTED A suggestion that the fatal injuries received by a mountaineer in Manganui Gorge, East Egmont, on Sunday could have been caused otherwise than by a piece of falling rock was advanced by Mr. T. R. Anderson at a meeting of the east committee of the Egmont National Park Board at Stratford last night. The climber, considered Mr. Anderson, could have brought his head into violent contact with the rock overhanging the track at the scene of the accident. His theory was thought by committee members to be a possible explanation. "I was at Manganui Hut on Sunday and when we left to return through the gorge it was raining heavily," said Mr. Anderson. He described how visitors were running with their heads down while traversing the section of the track where the accident later took place. For taller persons it was necessary to lower the head' while passing beneath the rock. Anyone running beneath the rock with his eyes turned down on account of the lashing rain could easily have struck his head a severe blow against the projection. Mr. Anderson said that while he was not suggesting that was what actually happened to the victim of the accident, he considered it to have been possible in the prevailing conditions. Mr. W. Vickers thought that the hazard mentioned by Mr. Anderson could be obviated by the moving of part of the overhanging rock. Mr. Anderson replied that while such a course was not possible a V-shaped column could be placed rbund and under the rock to prevent climbers passing beneath it. They could walk around the guard column and a protective railing could be erected on the outside edge of the track. No' definite action on the line sugeested was decided upon.