TRAGEDY IN BUSH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1938, Page 2

TRAGEDY IN BUSH

PIG HUNTER’S DEATH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 28. Alone in the depths of the wild country of eastern Taranaki with his companion dead, a youth aged 18 years, made his way back for help and led a party through thick bush for many hours to where the body lay, reaching it at midnight. The tragedy occurred late on Monday afternoon when the two men were pig-hunting in the back country of the Waikaka valley, in the Matiere district. Mr R. Schrieber shot a pig and after he went forward to find it found that his companion, Mr Thomas Nicol, was not with him. On returning a short distance he found Mr Nicol dead. Mr Schrieber had to travel three miles over rough and treacherous country before he could telephone for aid. As he went he blazed trees, and had it not been for this the return to the body might have taken days. A party led by Constable Bradford, Ohura, and consisting of Messrs N. Margan, R. Nodder, W. Waswo, E. Owen, C. Winks, R. Martin, W. Sowry, and F. Kelly returned with Mr Schrieber and, by using torches, reached the body at midnight. They stayed the remainder of the night and in the morning took the body to Matiere. Credit was due to Mi’ Schrieber for his presence of mind in marking the trail, said Constable Bradford. The country was very rough, and the return to Matiere was most difficult. At the inquest a verdict of heart failure was returned and it was-' stated that Mr Nicol had been treated for heart trouble for some time. He was aged 52 years, was a well-known resident of the district, and was a returned soldier.