Four Missing Boys Found Unharmed

Press, Volume C, Issue 29602, 26 August 1961, Page 10

Four Missing Boys Found Unharmed

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 25. Carrying their last three tins of food, four Thames boy scouts reached the safety of their homes shortly before 10 o’clock tonight after police and Army parties, trampers and local residents had scoured the rugged bush-clad Kauaeranga valley for two days. The missing boys were found by a search party near the banks of the Kauaeranga river at about 2 p.m. today. Although soaked to the skin and suffering from minor abrasions, the lads were unharmed and in good heart.

The boys, all of whom are members of the Ist Thames Boy Scout Troop, are Hugh Sviestrup, aged 14, and his brother, Wayne, aged 13. sons of Mr and Mrs M. B. Sveistrup, of Grey street; Graham Higgs, aged 13, son of Mr and Mrs J. N. Higgs, of Upper Grey street; John Shepherd, aged 13, son of Mr and Mas G. W. Shepherd, also of Grey street. Graham Higgs was carried out by the searchers, although he protested that he was fit enough to walk. Tucking into large quantities of scones at their home later tonight, the Sveistrup boys described their six-day ordeal in the bush as “very wet.” “It rained most of the time we were said Wayne, “and last night we got washed out of the cave when the Kauaeranga river rose suddenly.” “We only did what we had been trained to do and took shelter when the weather got rough,” said Hugh.

“We weren’t worried. We had plenty of tucker at the start, but towards the end we were getting a bit low.” The lads returned to civilisation with one tin of soup, a small tin of green peas, and a tin of salmon. After being washed out of their cave last night, the boys slept in the open in the bush. “The tents just wouldn’t keep the water off,” said Hugh. “One of the tents was brand new. I’ve never seen rain like it—it poured down in sheets.” Found In Gorge The boys were found high up in the Kauaeranga gorge, north-east of Thames. About 150 men, some of whom were still out in the bush at a late hour tonight, had been searching for the lads. Led by Hugh Sveistrup. the boys set out from Thames at midday on Sunday on a tramp from the Kauaeranga valley to Coroglen and back A search was instituted when they did not arrive at Coroglen by Tuesday. They arrived in Thames tonight unexpectedly after their rescuers had radioed the emergency base at the Thames police station saying that they would be back early tomorrow morning.

“They had to bring ,us back because our sleeping bags were too wet to sleep in.” said Wayne. The scoutmaster. Mr A S Carseldine. said the boys in his troop were trained to take the best cover available when the weather became too rough.-“ And that's very probably what they did,” he said

With two experienced pigi hunters. Mr Carseldine, on Wednesday. walked right i along the route proposed by : the boys “They must have f been sitting in their tents i reading comics when we went past.” he said. i The remainder of the i searchers are expected out of the bush tomorrow morning. Senior-Sergeant J. A. Williamson. of the Thames police, spoke highly of the support given by local residents and the Search and Rescue Organisation. A member of the rescue i partv which brought the boys to Thames. Constable L. W Cobb, said they were in surprisingly good condition when they were found-

“They had been soaking wet for three days, so when we got them into dry clothes and had given them some soup at -the hut, we decided to push on for home,” he

said. “At least, they are in their own beds tonight. “They must have been nearly at their wits’ end when they found themselves trapped in the Kauaeranga gorge. When they heard the planes overhead they realised we must have been looking for them and so decided to sit tight. This was the best thing they could have done.” Mrs Sveistrup said she always had faith that her sons would find their way out of the bush. “I never gave up hope,” she said tonight. “Even if they’d been missing till next week I'd have thought they had a chance. Those boys know what they’re doing.” Mrs Sveistrup paid a heartfelt tribute to the people of Thames, “the police and everyone." “The whole town volunteered to search for the boys —this is when you find out who your friends are.” Mr Sveistrup, who is a returned soldier and a former amateur heavyweight boxer, was still in the bush tonight. He was thought to be with a party searching in the Coroglen area.