TRAGIC ENDING

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 141, 17 June 1922, Page 6

TRAGIC ENDING

TO A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH

EXHAUSTION AND EXPOSURE.

The joy of the search party in discovering E. J. Kime alive on Mount Hector after he had suffered severe privations since Saturday last was shared by the people of Wellington, and it was ,ivith great disappointment that news of his subsequent death was received in the city. It was firat of all reported that Kime was weli, and everybody marvelled that it should be so. Later reports showed that when Kime was reached by the search party he was in a dreadful condition, suffering severely from frost bite on his legs and arms and. generally, showing the effects of his lonely wait in the mountains in rigorously cold weather. Although everything possible was (lone for the young man, he died six hours, after he had been rescued. Although ho was scarcely conscious he inquired after hifi mate, Mr. Alan Bollons, and was pleased to hear that Bollons was safe. Bollons, lie said, had only left him after he had pleaded that, that was the best course.

According to Mr. F. W. Vosseler, who led the search party, Kime was found lying in a shallow gully on the sifniiy side of the range. At daylight on Thursday the whole party spread out in the vicinity of the- spot where' the two men parted. An hour or two afterwards they followed Bolk-ns's teack down the wrong spur, believing it possible that Kime might have made the same mistake. The search continued after the return, and a little later Mr. Vosseler thought ho saw a man lying in a hollow .some distance from the track, and it proved to be Kime, who was in a very bad way. A member of the party was immediately dispatched to Woodside for medical assistance. The party took off their warm clothing, stripped Kime, and replaced his underclothing. Everything was done to infuse warmth in him. He was given brandy and beaten up egg, hot cocoa was administered, and massage was applied to his legs and arms, which were dreadfully frostbitten. He was conscious, but partly delirious, and had some difficulty in articulating. They continued the massage for an hour and a-half, until ho seemed to improve, and then they started to carry him to the Alpha hut.

Kime was carried for three hours through snow and ice, and it wa3 seen during the course of the journey that liis condition was serious. He seemed to revive after stimulants had been administered, but the improvement was not maintained, and shortly after the arrival at the hut he expired. All the party suffered great disappointment at the tragic ending of their successful search ondcr most trying circumstances. A start was made yesterday morning to carry the body down the ranges. The party was met by Constable Gregor, and subsequently proceeded to Greytown. The members of, the search party were Messrs. G. Brown, Scadden, "White, Gibbs. and Vosseler, who operated from the Wairarapa side, and Messrs. Cross, Fyfe, Cannon, M'lntosh, and another, who worked over from Otaki.

The deceased had been for sis years in the Post and Telegraph workshops, and was exceedingly popular. His remains were brought to Wellington by motorcar this afternoon, and it is likely that the inqnett will be 'held here. 'i'Jio funeral will take place to-morrow.