CLIMB WITH BODY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 144, 29 March 1928, Page 2

CLIMB WITH BODY

OVER 5000-FOOT PEAK. THE DEATH OF A. N. HENDERSON. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The party which brought tlie of Andrew Neil Henderson into Oxioid yesterday after the shooting fatality in the back country beyond Lees Valley, climbed with the body on a stretcher over 5000-foot mountain m getting from the camp where the tatality occurred. It took the seven men of the party from 10.30 a.m. till 7 p.m. on Tuesday to get within five miles of the nearest hut? They had. very little provisions, and they were absolutely exhausted when tluw arrived in East Oxford late yesterday afternoon. The boots of Constable John Robertson, of Oxford, who was with the party, gave out in climbing over the exceedingly rough country, and he had to use the boots of the dead man. The constable was wet through with wading through the mountain streams. The condition of the party when it arrived in Oxford has been described as pitiful. According to the constable's account at the inquest yesterday afternoon, he, in company with four men from Oxford, left for Lees Valley by motor-car at about 4 p.m. on Monday in search of Henderson, whose companion on a shooting expedition, Colin Holman Bassett, had reported the accident. The party reached Lees Valley at about 6 p.m. At about 4 a.m. on Thursday they proceeded by the aid of a lantern ' to the Ashley River bed, and continued up the river till they were within a quarter of a mile of its source. There they found the camp, and the victim of the accident. They made a stretcher, and the seven men brought the body over a 5000-foot mountain. They were feeling the pinch of hunger, and had to travel for over eight hours before coming within sight of the nearest hut.' A pack-horse was obtained yesterday and the body was brought to Colonel Millton's hut. where, with the assistance of a motor-lorry, the party .travelled to the residence of the young man's father at East Oxford. Another instance of the rough state of the country was provided when Henderson's companion, Colin H. Bassett, took four hours in travelling about as many miles in his search for help immediately after the shooting accident.

SEARCH PARTY LOST. THREE MEN WITH LITTLE FOOD. (j>a T Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. No news has been heard in Oxford of a party of three men who left on Monday afternoon to bring aid to Andrew Neil Henderson, the young man who was subsequently found dead through a shooting accident at a camp miles beyond Lees Valley, in exceedingly rough country. The party, who had very little provisions, took the wrong valley in their search for the camp, and have not been seen since. The members of the party as far as can be ascertained, were: — Dr. L. D. Burnett. Mr C. Bassett. Mr E. H. Buckridge. The body of the victim of the shooting accident was brought into Oxford yesterday afternoon by another party which found the camp, but saw no trace of the first party. The party of which there is no trace originally consisted of six men —Dr. Burnett, Messrs R." Henderson, K. Henderson, C. Bassett, T. P. Duckworth and Buckridge. When the party, took the wrong valley it was agreed' that Mr (Duckworth should turn back for more provisions. He arrived at his home in Lees Valley on Tuesday night. Mr K. Henderson was at the inquest at Oxford yesterday afternoon, and it is understood that Mr R.i Henderson is also accounted for. At the inquest yesterday afternoon Colin Holman Bassott, the young man who was with. Henderson, when the latter was accidentally shot, stated that after reaching Mr Duckworth's house in an exhausted condition, he directed the search parties to tne best of his ability as to the location of the cam]) where the fatality had occurred on ho Monday morning. He was too exhausted to return with the men.