OFFICIAL SEARCH ABANDONED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 74, 8 January 1946, Page 5

OFFICIAL SEARCH ABANDONED

MISSING CUMBERS ON ML COOK

EVIDENCE FOUND AT HIGH ALTITUDE (P.A.) TIMARU, This Day. •‘Judging by what Iho guides said when they came hack, I think-any iuriher search will he useless,” said Police inspector 1). L. Caiwell, of Tiniaru, referring to Hie endeavours made 1 o lind the two Christchurch men lost on Mount Cook. As fafr as he knew, Ihe boot and pari of Hie ice-axe found on the mountain had not yet been identified as belonging to either ot the missing men. No further search' had been organised by the police since the return on (Saturday night of Ihe party of experienced climbers, the inspector added. Guide M. Bowie, who led the search party, had reported that Hie boot - nd portion of ice-axe, found close 10 each other on the second day of Hie search, might possibly be the property of the Hermitage, but so far a report on the identification had not come to hand. If was snowing during the search and the snow was lying soft. Late yesterday afternoon an official of the Hermitage reported no further developments.

“The party who went out in searcu of the two men are sufficiently experienced to decide whether or not a further search is warranted,” commented Mr P. W. Young, South Canterbury representative of the Mountaineering Clubs of New Zealand. “If they have decided that there is no hope of finding the men alive, and if they have established within reason that the men fell down a crevasse, .1 do not see that, anything else can be done.” Mr Young had been told that Hie boot and portion of ice-axe had been found not far from the summit of the lower peak of Mount Cook, 10,000 feet up. There was no information as to whether the two men had attempted their climb on one of Hie accepted routes, or whether they had taken a route of their own.

One of the missing men, Mr A. C. Lees, has no relatives, in New Zealand. Aged 43. tie returned from war service overseas on Mfiy 3, 1945. The other man, Mr 11. if. Lerehenthal, aged 24, was a mechanic employed by the Kaiapoi Woollen Mills, Ltd., Christclnft'ch. His parents, who reside at Wellington, have been notified that an unsuccessful search has been made.