Family Rescued In Hills

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31091, 21 June 1966, Page 16

Family Rescued In Hills

A Christchurch family of six—a husband and wife and four children, aged from three to seven—was rescued late yesterday in the Okuku Pass area while the police were searching for them in the Porter’s Pass area. Okuku Pass is 35 miles north-east of Porter’s Pass as the crow flies.

News that Mr and Mrs K. Inwood and family, of 82 Staveley street, Riccarton, were safe at Whiterock, after being rescued by Mr S. J. Bain, who runs the Okuku Pass station, was relayed to the Christchurch Central Police Station as plans to step up the search at first light today were being made. Mr Inwood, aged 30, and Mrs Inwood, aged 28, and their children left their home at 12.30 p.m. on Sunday. Mrs Inwood had previously mentioned to friends that the

famiy' might go to Porter’s Pass to see the snow and to charge the battery of their car.

Mr and Mrs Inwood both work. Mrs Inwood’s employer, Mr J. L. Anderson, proprietor of the Palm Grove coffee lounge, reported her missing at 12.30 p.m. yesterday. Police inquiries showed that none of the family was at home. Mr Inwood’s employers were also worried. The couple employ a housekeeper who went to the home today but could tell the police nothing of the family’s whereabouts.

Constable P. Larmer, of Darfield, began a search of the Porter’s Pass area at 1 p.m. Police in two other patrol cars also searched roads in the area. They gave up the search at dark. About 7 p.m., the police received a message from a relative of Mr Bain’s in Whiterock that he was bringing a stranded family out. When they arrived at Whiterock, near Laburn, the police were informed that it was the Inwood family.

Mr Bain said last evening that he did not think the Inwood family knew where they were when their car became stuck in the Okuku river, over Okuku Pass, near the border of Lees Valley, about 5 p.m. on Sunday. Mr Inwood had made strenuous efforts to get the car from the river, without success. A notice warned persons not to ford the river at the point where Mr Inwood had attempted to cross, Mr Bain said. The family then walked about four miles to the homestead of “The Brothers” station. This comprises the back run of the “McDonald Downs” station, Hawarden, and the homestead is not used at this time ■of the year. “The family lit a fire. They had only some Chocolates and a couple of apples,” Mr Bain said.

Yesterday, Mr Inwood walked back to the car and made further unsuccessful attempts to get it out of the river. He then walked back to the top of he Okuku Pass.

"I had the Landrover on the road there while I was looking for some stock. When I returned, about 4.30 p.m., Mr Inwood was in the truck. His feet were bound up with sack mocassins. He had walked about 20 miles. His feet were bleeding and blistered, and he had cut them trying to get his car out,” Mr Inwood said. Mr Bain took Mr Inwood back to “The Brothers” station and picked up the family, took them out to Whiterock, and, after they had been fed, took them home to Riccarton. The car is still in the river.