Rescued Four Nearly Abandoned Trip

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31248, 21 December 1966, Page 22

Rescued Four Nearly Abandoned Trip

(New Zealand Press Association!

AUCKLAND, December 20.

The four trampers who were rescued today after being lost in rugged bush in Taranaki for four days nearly cancelled their hike at the last minute when the person for whom it was organised dropped out.

Mrs G. Maitland, mother of two of the trampers, Eileen and Gordon Maitland, said tonight that the trip was organised for the benefit of a 17-year-old boy.

“They almost cancelled their arrangements when he dropped out, but in the end they decided to go ahead,” she said.

Mrs Maitland sat by the telephone throughout Monday night waiting for news from the rescue teams.

Three members of the party, the Maitlands and a 21-year-old Australian, Marie Begg, were found shortly before midday today, tired and hungry', but otherwise in good condition.

They were stranded on a peak in a steep, bush-covered range near the headwaters of the Waitara river. Seeking Help The fourth member of the party, 26-year-old Kevin Munro, who had set off to seek help for his stranded companions, was found shortly after 4 p.m. today. He was unhurt and in good condition.

Mr Munro's rescue climaxed an extensive operation involving more than 50 men and three aircraft since Monday night. He was located by a police dog in a clearing on top of a ridge, nearly three miles down the Waitara river from the airstrip of Mr R. Shrewry, of Tahora. When found, he was wearing only swimming trunks. He had planned swimming up the Waitara river to Tahora. Mr Munro left the other three at 1.10 p.m. on Monday. “Plenty to Eat”

“I’m feeling fine,” Mr Munro said, shortly after his rescue. “I could have spent a week in the bush, there was plenty to eat and drink.”

He ate rata berries and fern roots during his 24-hour period of isolation in the bush.

“After leaving the others, I dived about 25 feet into the water. 1 struck off up stream and eventually reached a fork in the river. I took the wrong turning and headed up the wrong gorge.

“I left the water and climbed a couple of ravines.” He spent the night sleeping in fern on top of a ridge. Stretcher parties reached the three trampers shortly before midday. A spotter aircraft located the three and dropped two packages containing ground-to-air signals, an explanatory booklet and several cakes of chocolate. One of the three climbed a tree and erected a signal with the brilliant red and, yellow signals that read, “Am unable to proceed.” Dinghies Dropped

When no trace was found of the missing man, two rubber dinghies were flown from Ohakea so that a team could go down the river. A Devon aircraft flew into the area and dropped the dinghies from an altitude of 500 feet into the valley. The ground party was just setting off when news arrived that the missing tramper had been found.

The two girls are expected back in Auckland late tonight. The men will return tomor row.