RUAPEHU SEARCH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 123, 20 November 1931, Page 7

RUAPEHU SEARCH

DISTRIBUTION OF £705

Over 150 claims for losses incurred during the search for the missing climbers on Buapehu in September have been settled by grants from the fund of £705 11s raised by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, by public subscription, states an Auckland correspondent. The distribution1 of the fund has been determined by the Claims Committee,' and the allocatioa has received the approval of the Mayor of Auckland. ' . The committee, which had a difficult task in sifting the large number of claims received, recommends that searchers' claims for damaged or lost clothing and equipment be decided by the disbursement of £93 5s 6d to 52 claimants in Taumarunui, £41 11s lOd to 32 claimants in Pokaka, £33 3s to 24 in Horopito, £28 6s to 19 in Ohakune, £26 15s 6d to 24 in Baetihi, £23 15s 6d to eight members of the Buapohu Ski Club, £11 9s to several members of the Tararua Tramping Club, and £12 8s to six others residing elsewhere; total, £270 14s 4<l. In addition, the committee- recommends the distribution of £50_ 10s t» unemployed workers who participated . voluntarily in the search, and £31 to members of the staff of the Chateau Tongariro, who worked night and day, while the search was in progress. The sum of £79 is offered to motor transport companies which placed cars at the. disposal of the searchers, including £61 4s 6d to Webb's Motors, whose cars, were out day and night. Claims for the supply of food .to the searchers are met by a payment of £67 9s Id, the medical account absorbs £18 4s 3d, and expenses of administering the fund, £12 17s. These amounts bring the total disbursements to £529 14s Bd. The Claims Committee further recommends that £50 be set aside for expenditure in somo direction that would make the mountain safer. "We aro strongly of the opinion," the members of the committee unanimously state, "that a lino of silver pine poles be erected along a route above the bush line between tho Chateau and the Ohakuho Hut. The National Park-Board could subsidise tho £50 by £25 and in- ' vite donations from the alpine and tramping clubs, so that approximately; £100 would bo available for this work, which is tho best safeguard against a similar mountain disaster. This routo would develop into a popular walking track. The committee recommends that the' balance of £125 16s 4d' which is left. over after meeting all claims and ■ al« lowing for tho payment of £50 for the suggested poled route should be handed over to the National Park Board ia part compensation, for the meals supplied to searchers at the Chateau and the loss of equipment. The claims of the Chateau in these respects totalled £200. The committee points out that without > the assistance lent by thaChateau the searchers would have bee^ very severely handicapped.