HOPES FADING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 99, 21 January 1935, Page 10

HOPES FADING

Search Continued For Lost Tramper NO SIGNS FOUND At a late hour last night it was reported that the search being made for ■JIr. Harold Goodman, of Greytown who is lost in the Waiohine ’ Gorge locality, had, as yet, been unsuccessful. A number of the searchers returned to Wellington last night. All the parties which left on Thursday night have reported at the Cone Saddle Hut with no news. One party has remained at the hut, and, supplemented by other parties which left on Saturday, will continue the search. One party went up' the Waiohine Gorge to Totara Flat, following the river-bed. In places the searchers had to swim, and they think the chances of Goodman having negotiated this route rather remote. They also reported having seen no signs of any recent footprints on the track above the river. There were parties camped at Totara Flat for several days after Christmas, and they saw no sign of Goodman. Indications are that Goodman may not even have reached Totara Flat. Approximately 30 searchers left Wellington at midday on Saturday, and in addition there were 15 others who had left on Thursday night. Other searchers have also been drawn from the Wairarapa. WEEK-END EFFORTS Heavy Rain, Wind and Poor Visibility Dominion Special Service. Masterton, January 20. Fears for the safety of Harold Goodman, of Greytown, who is lost in the Waiohine Gorge region and is now seven days overdue, are growing more grave. Many searchers were active over the week-end, but no report of his having been located had been received in Masterton to-night. Strenuous efforts have been of no avail. Heavy rain, wind and poor visibility have hampered the searchers during the past two days, but the conditions in the ranges to-day were greatly improved and permitted better progress to he made. The hopes for Goodman’s safety were raised high when what appeared to be flares from the direction of the ranges at the back of Greytown were seen last night, and many of. those who saw them believed that they were sent out to indicate success of the search in accordance with arrangements made. They were, however, only the flames from scrub fires burning on the foothills. The task of the .search parties is by no means an enviable one a.s, beyond the fact that Goodman is believed to be somewhere in the Waiohine Gorge region, they have no information on which to work. By to-night the fifteen members of the Tararua and University tramping clubs who left Wellington on Thursday should have completed an intensive search of the Upper Waiohine locality. A party of four trampers from Wellington .set out from Masterton to-day to search the Waiohine-iti region, taking a course via Mounts Holdsworth and Isabell. By following portion of the Waiohineiti river they wills,connect with work carried out by the other Wellington parties which have gone into the ranges from other points. A party of six set out from Greytown yesterday with the intention of penetrating the Waiohine Gorge and assisting with other trampers. A party of three from Wellington searched the Upper Tauherenikau, following the river down from Hell’s Gates. They travelled to Alpha Hut via Marchant Ridge last night. Of the 20 trampers who traversed the country behind Tauherenikau and in the region of the Cone Saddle Hut yesterday, and who scoured some of the creeks which flow into the Waiohine River, six will remain out until Tuesday. The remaining 14 came out to-night.