CLIMBER'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 8

CLIMBER'S DEATH

DROWNED IN RIVER

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH; December 26. : Losing his balance while fording the Rakaia River at the headwaters yesterday afternoon, Maxwell ' Keith Townsend, aged about 24- years, a veil-known Canterbury mountaineer and. tramper, was swept away and drowned. Usually the fording of the Rakaia at this point presents little difficulty, but yesterday it was in slight flood, and apparently when Mr. Towriseridlost his balance he was unable to free himself of his heavy pack, nor could his two'companions on the trip reach' him to assist. '■ Mr. Townsend, .with two members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club,. Messrs. W. B. CulleW and'G. C. T. Burns, left Christchurch by motor-car -yesterday morning, accompanied, also; by a party, of "Wellington climbers, for the head of the Rakaia River. The ■ three Canterbury men intended to. climb at the head of the Cattle Creek tributary of. the Rakaia. It - \yas necessary to ford the' Rakaia to reach Cattle Creek. Mr. Townsend had for some years been a very active member of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club,, and for some ; time had been organiser of. the club's monthly ■: expeditions. , Last Christmas, with Mr. G. C. T. Burns, he made, the trip from Arthur's Pass to the Hermitage by way of the headwaters of Canterbury rivers and high alpine passes. There were few. parts of the Canterbury and Westland ranges which he had not explored. He was a single man, residing with his mother in Packes Street, St. Albans, and was employed on the accountancy side of the Publicr Trust, Office. ■