Tramper Safe After Night In Bush

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 9

Tramper Safe After Night In Bush

(New Zealand Press Association)

N. PLYMOUTH, Aug. 13. After a night in the bush on east Egmont, Douglas Handley, aged 22, single, a storeman, of 37 Fortunatos street. Wellington, walked out on to the road to the Stratford Mountain House this morning and was met by Mrs A. L Mace, wife of the proprietor, who was driving her children to school.

Apart from being cold and wet, Mr Handley apparently did not suffer a great deal from his night out. After being given hot drinks and attention at the home of Mr and Mrs W L. Witton. just below the reserve gates, he was taken to Stratford for a medical check. Mr Handley accompanied a Wellington party to east Egmont for the week-end Yesterday the party was returning along the track from Dawson Falls to the Stratford Plateau, but Mr Handley went on ahead. Finding he had time to spare before the bus was due to leave, he went down the Enchanted Walk. After that he met four persons who said they had temporarily lost their way. He went to look for the right track, got on to a goat track and became separated from the others. They retraced their steps and got back on the right track. . Realising he wasXlost, Mr Handley built a shelter of fern in which he spent the He said he heard a rifle fire and “yelled out.” but heard no reply. This morning he began walking and came out on the road to the Mountain House about half-way between the house and the -eserve gates.

When it was discovered yesterday afternoon that Mr Handley was missing, Mr Mace and Mr W. E. Sanders, a ranger of the Egmont National Park Board, went to look for him. They fired a rifle at intervals, but could hear no reply. In the meantime the police were advised. When no news of the missing man had been received early this morning, the Taranaki Search and Rescue Organisation stood by. The Wellington party returned home by bus last night. Two Walk Out Of Bush

(N.Z Press Association) HAMILTON, Aug 13. The two men from Lichfield, Messrs R. Borne and G. Day, who went pig hunting in the Manawatu ranges on Saturday and were thought to be missing by midday today, walked out of the bush at Mamaku about 3 p.m. A Search and Rescue team was just preparing to enter the bush when the men found their own way out. Police and local residents were about to search dense bush of the Mamaku ranges and foothills near Putaruru.

Stolen Meter.— The parking meter which vanished from outside the St. James Theatre, in Moray place. Dunedin, early last week, was found in the harbour from near the Anderson's Bay inlet. The face had been broken and the money taken. —(P.A.)