RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 225, 19 June 1936, Page 2

RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

Conclusion of Inquest

By Telegraph—Press As-sociation. Tauniartniui, June IS.

At the adjourned inquest before the coroner, Mr. A. S. Laird, concerning tire death of James Alexander Gordon, solicitor, on Mount Ruapehu, D. Bayfield, manager of the Chateau Tongariro, stated that a notice posted up gave hints to mountain climbers. Deceased and his party gave notice of their intention of climbing. Chief Guide Carl Risberg, recalled, said that he experimented two days after the accident with sliding on a similar graded slope and found that ice axes would not hold or make the slightest impression in the ice. Even with crampons and a rope they could not hold a 13-stone man from sliding down.

AV. S. Rennie, late secretary of the Ruapehu Ski Club, said that the Tourist Department had repeatedly been approached to have more equipment at the huts and have tbe huts connected by telephone to the Chateau. The club offered assistance to erect a telephone line, but there had been no response from the department. The witness said that each member of a climbing party should be equipped with an ice axe, and all the members should be roped together if there was danger of sliding.

Tlie verdict was that deceased was accidentally killed, and died from iuternal injuries, shock and exposure. Tbe coroner said he considered that the deceased bad an attack of syncope or fainting, rendering him unable to attempt to save himself. The coroner highly commended the work of Messrs. A. Sandel, J. Bryan and Guide Risberg In the recovery of the deceased’s body.