TRAMPER'S DEATH

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 192, 16 August 1938, Page 5

TRAMPER'S DEATH

MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.

ORDEAL Ifl THE SNOW.

COMRADES EXHAUSTED.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday

One of a party of trampers on a week-'

end expedition into the Riimitaka Raiigee, Mr. Artliur Fredric, 22, Queen's Drive, Lyall Bay, Wellington, collapsed and died in the neighbourhood o f the Alpha lint on Sunday afternoon. Ifis companions, who returned to Wellington late to-night exhausted and overdue, reported that they had left the body at, the Alpha hut. A pnrty of police and guides will set out to-morrow to bring it back. Besides Mr. Fredric, tile pnrty consisted of Mr. P. b. Powell. Mr." R. X. , Collin, Mr. Cedric Wright. Mr. R deriek Steele and Mr. ,7. B. Butchers. All were of the Victoria College Tramping Club. Mr. Powell was the leader of the pa:ty. j The party left Wellington on Saturday morning, intending to enter the ranges at Kaitoke and cross the ranges 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 heard this afternoon preparations were made for a search party to be sent into the mountains, but later five of the missing men came out at Kaitoke. At 10 o'clock to-night they arrived back at Wellington. j Bitter Cold. Physically and emotionally exhausted,' the party related their etory to the police. They reached the Alpha hut,' which is situated at nearly 40<)0ft, late on Saturday evening. While they were ' there Mr. Fredric gashed his knee with a sheath-knife while cutting bread. The ; injury, however, was very slight and did not incapacitate him in any way. Early on Sunday they left to traverse the Alpha peak, which is about 4500 ft high, and from there worked along the range toward the Beehives. The weather became bad and at one o'clock they turned back for the Alpha hut. It was bitterly cold and Mr. Fredric, apparently affected by exhaustion and exposure, had to be assisted ■by the othere. When they descended to the bush-line he collapsed. His friends carried hin. to the hut not far distant and applied artificial respiration without success. They spent the night at the hut and returned to-day by way of Kaitoke.

Mr. Fredric wae said to be uninjured except for a slight cut above his knee, which is not believed to have contributed in any way to hie death. The party Vas well equipped with packs, provisions, ice-axes and other gear. All were experienced trampers familiar with the ranges. Thare was still a good deal of snow on the ranges at the week-end. Although Saturday was fine and clear, on Sanday a bitterly cold wind brought with it nifete and heavy rain. Police and trampers,' who will go out to-morrow to bring in the body, will camp the night at,the:Jppha."hut and will return to afternoon.