DEATH OF TRAMPER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1938, Page 5

DEATH OF TRAMPER

OVERCOME BV BITTER COLD IN TARARUAS PARTY OVERTAKEN BY ROUGH WEATHER POLICE AND GUIDES TO BRING IN BODY (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. One of a party of trampers overtaken by rough weather on a weekend expedition into the Tararua Ranges, Arthur Fredric, aged 22, of Queen’s Drive, Lyall Bay, collapsed and died in the neighbourhood of the Alpha Hut. His companions, who returned to Wellington last last night, exhausted and overdue, reported that they had left his body at the Alpha Hut. Today a party of police and guides will set out to bring it back. Besides Mr Fredric, the party comprised Messrs P. S. Powell, Austin Street; R. N. Collin, Queen’s Drive, Cedric Wright, Hay Street; Roderick Steele, Khandallah; and J. B. Butchers, Lower. Hutt. All were members of the Victoria College Tramping Club. Mr Powell was leader of the party. The party left Wellington on Saturday morning, , intending to enter the ranges at Kaitoke, and cross by the Hector Track to Otaki Forks, where a lorry was to meet them. They did not come out at Otaki, and the lorry drove round to Kaitoke in case they had turned back.

When no word of the trampers had been received yesterday afternoon, preparations were made for a searchparty to be sent into the mountains; but later five of the missing men emerged at Kaitoke. At ten o’clock last night they arrived back at Wellington and told their story to the police.. , e They reached the Alpha Hut, which is situated at nearly 4000 feet, midway between Mount Marchant and Mount Hector, in the highest part of the range, late on Saturday evening. While they were there Mr Frederic gashed his knee with a sheath-knife while cutting bread. The injury, however, was slight, and did not appear to incapacitate him in any way. Early on Sunday they left to traverse Alpha Peak, which is about 4500 feet high, and from there worked along the range toward the Beehives. The weather became bad, and at 1 o’clock they turned back, making for the Alpha hut. It was bitterly cold, and Mr Frederic, apparently overcome by exhaustion and exposure, had to be assisted by the others. When they descended to the bush-line he collapsed. His friends carried him io the hut, not far distant, and applied artificial respiration without success. They spent the night at the hut and returned yesterday by way of Kaitoke.

Mr Frederick was said to be uninjured, except for the slight cut above his knee, not believed to have contributed in any way to his death. The party was well equipped, with packs, provisions, ice-axes and other gear. All were experienced trampers familiar with the ranges. There was still a good deal of snow on the mountains at the week-end. Although Saturday was fine and clear, on Sunday a bitterly cold wind brought with it dense mists and heavy rain. This morning police and trampers will leave Wellington to bring in the body. They will camp for .the night at the Alpha Hut and will return to Wellington tomorrow afternoon. An inquest will be held later.