Search Today For Overdue Trampers

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30109, 18 April 1963, Page 8

Search Today For Overdue Trampers

A search party organised by Sergeant W. Watson, of the Hokitika Police, will set out at dawn today looking for nine overdue Christchurch trampers believed to be in the Wilberforce river-Browning Pass area.

No fears for the safety of the tramping party are felt by experienced mountaineers in Christchurch. The party is probably held up by rain-swollen rivers and creeks.

“There is plenty of shelter in the area, good huts and even hot springs to bathe tired feet in. The trampers overdue are all experienced.” said a mountaineering member of Christchurch Search and Rescue Organisation. A follow-up search party of six men will go into the area from Hokitika later today. They travelled to the West Coast from Christchurch last night. The nine overdue trampers, all members of the Christchurch Tramping Club, are Mr N. Tweedie, of Wesley street, Kaiapoi, the leader of the party and an experienced climber, Miss J. Hall, and Messrs N. Banner. K. Dawson, K. Bartram, R. Watson, P Culley, A. Cullingford and B. Hack.

Senior-Sergeant E. S. Tuck, of the Christchurch Police, said yesterday that two

parties from the tramping club set off to reach Hokitika via the Browning Pass. After crossing the Wilberforce river, one party continued over the pass and down to Hokitika. The other party, reported overdue, planned to go up the Gibson creek, across the Mungo pass, cross the Mungo river, and down Wren creek, to a hut at some hot springs. Then they intended to go down the Toaroha river to the Kakatahi valley to meet the other party.

The two parties were to have met on the west side of the Browning pass in the Kokatahi Valley, but Mr Tweedie’s party did not arrive at the expected time on Monday afternoon. The trampers were well equipped, had warm clothing and plenty of food said Senior-Sergeant Tuck, who is a member of the Search and Rescue Organisation. Students Safe Five students from Lincoln College, who had been reported to the Search and Rescue Organisation yesterday as overdue from a tramping trip in the Mount White area arrived back at the college safely early last evening.

The students had planned to tramp through the Mount White area, past Lake Minchin, over the Taramakau river to Aikens, five miles west of Otira. They apparently changed their plans and arrived at Cass, and journeyed back to Christchurch from there.