MOUNTAIN SEARCH PARTIES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21511, 28 June 1935, Page 16

MOUNTAIN SEARCH PARTIES

NEW ORGANISATION

SUGGESTED

CO-OPERATION WITH POLICE

To provide a better organisation of search parties when mountaineers or trampers are lost in the mountain ranges of the Dominion, negotiations are being conducted between the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand and the Commissioner of Police, according to the latest bulletin of the federation. The njain purpose of the negotiations is to have it recognised that whatever the cause which calls out' a search party, the actual Work of search is necessary to prevent loss .of life, and demands that men with special local and technical knowledge shall be able to take part without loss to themselves.

In the past search parties have generally been organised by mountain clubs with special knowledge of the area to be traversed. They have had to request their members to ask for leave from their employers and to conduct the search at their own expense. Frequently the men best fitted to conduct the search have not been available because they have been unable to obtain the necessary leave.

Police Initiative The Federation has emphasised that the work of search when people are reported lost in the mountains assumes the character of a national duty. Under the plan suggested there would be one or more persons in each district to whom the police could refer to obtain the names of men suitable to serve in search parties.

Whenever the need for a search arose the request for leave of absence would be made not by the men themselves, but by the police. This v/ould apply both with private employers and with Government departments. The federation considers that some such system would result in leave being more readily obtained without the positions of the searchers being prejudiced. In addition it has been suggested that reasonable tiamoort and supplies for necessary search parties called out in this way should be provided by the police. The effect of thp development of some such organisation is considered to be to relieve tl.e club members called out of the groundwork of trouble and expense Under no circumstances would a search resolve itself into a mere pleasure trip, for nobody could spend some days or a week at shor r notice in the mountains without making considerable sacrifices.