NORTHERN STORM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 97, 5 February 1936, Page 3

NORTHERN STORM

FATALITY IN THE TARARUAS. MAN DIES FROM EXPOSURE. PARTY OF FIVE CAUGHT. (Per Press Association). PALMERSTON NORTH, Feb. 4. The gale which raged on Sunday caused the death of a young man, a member of a tramping party out on the Tararuas behind 'Levin. Five others narrowly escaped with their lives. The victim was Ralph Wood, a married man, aged 29, an optician, of Manapouri Crescent, Palmerston North. He was the son of well-known Palmerston residents. Wood died of ex-? posure and exhaustion on the iop of Twin Peak, where the full force oi the gale was felt. The other members of the party were Andrew Fuller, who acted as leader; Tom Arlidge, Ralph Dawick, Harold Ramsay, and Albert Waters, all of Palmerston North. The party set out shortly after midday on Saturday on an excursion to the Te Matawai hut, which was reached at (i p.m. During the night the storm broke with such force that they decided to return by the same way as they had come into the hills, but the flooded state of the Ohau River prevented their doing this. They then took a route over to Waiopehu. While, progressing ovei Butcher’s Saddle they had a terrifying experience, trees uprooted by the gale falling all round them. None expected to get out alive. The track was completely obliterated at times and they felt all hope of getting out had vanished. They were soon feeling the strain of the heavy going and pro gress became slow. On Twin Pea however, the absence of large trees removed a great deal of the danger, but Wood was seen to be failing, and ho died soon afterwards from exposure and exhaustion. Walters and Fuller, though both exhausted, tried to drag Wood with them over the peak to the other aide, but they had insufficient strength. They lay down in the shelter of some scrub about 50 feet from the top, unable to get over. . The other three men succeeded in crossing to where the Waiopehu lmt should have been, but it Fad disappeared: They camped lor the night. Arlidge set out in darkness, and after an all-day battle, came out of tlie bush and reached Levin. Meanwhile, Fuller and Wateis m the morning crossed Twin Peak and i - joined Ramsay and Dawick 9* Wa • nehu. The quartette could not o et back down the Waiopehu track, and they -eventually waded down the flooded Akaritu stream, following the same route as Arlidge, and got out safely.

STOCK LOST IN WAIKATO. river dammed by SUP. WALL OF WATER SWEEPS VALLEYS. / TE AWAMUTU, February 4. An investigation shows that the cause of Sunday’s havoc on the Pirongia mountain was a landslide, winch blocked the course of the I'liei. • ® water finally broke through, and rushed to the valleys below. Settlers say a. solid wall of water, eight to 10 loot high, swept the valleys, canying everything before it. Three ni . were swept away, two of them on the main highway to Kawhia. The scene is one of utter desolation. Hundreds of acres are covered with debris and silt. Crops and pastmes are destroyed, and fences levelled. Huge logs and boulders are scatteied over the country. One bridge lies m the middle of a paddock nearly liah a mile away from its original position, almost completely coveicd by logs and debris. It is impossible yet to reach a central position on the mam lug Ob as a huge slip blocks one end and bridgeless rivers make access impossible o at the other end. On »n fdtcnia tive road across the mountain it is known that the hillside has la e|i into the valley carrying scveial chain the road, «Hl •*>.*•<-» of logs and debris v.ill ha\ - cleared on the main highway, least five slips have occuried. Fortunately the oncomng waters gave a warning, cnabhug the settlers to make for higher levels. 1 o men had a narrow escape, one hen g actually knee deep in water m rush for safety as the torrent ova took him. ■ Stock losses are heavy, hut it is impossible yet to muster sheep and cattle, as fences are down witi surviving stock wandeiing on mountain sides.

NEARLY BACK TO NORMAL. NORTH ISLAND TELEGRAPHS. WELLINGTON, r <Vo. 4. An official of the Post and Telegraph Department told a reporter to-day that telephonic communication was almost back to normal. The repairs, towev>r, were temporary. A good deal ( improvising bad been done. The position of telephonic communication was not so favournoie, mainly because of the seriousness of the damage near Palmerston Noith. Line gangs were still very busy.