ORDEAL IN RANGES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1938, Page 10

ORDEAL IN RANGES

DEATH OF TRAMPER

DUE TO HEART DISEASE

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

The opinion that the presence of an army of doctors could not have prevented the death of Arthur Fredric, an insurance clerk, aged 22, in the Tararua Ranges was expressed by Dr. P. P. Lynch at the inquest, which was held before the Coroner (Mr. E. Gilbertson, J.P.), today. Members of the party of Victoria University College Tramping Club trampers who took part in the trip during which Fredric collapsed described the conditions which prevailed in the ranges, and the circumstances of the deceased's death. The inquest was conducted by Senior-Sergeant D. J. O'Neill, Mr. R. S. C. Agar appeared for the leader of the party (Mr. P. S. Powell) and the tramping club to which he belonged, and Mr. W. E. Davidson watched the interests of the Tararua Tramping Club. Arthur Alfred Ernest Fredric, father of the deceased, said that three weeks before the trip the deceased had had influenza, but appeared to be in perfect physical condition when he left. Paul Sydney Powell, a clerk, said that he was the leader of a party of six trampers who left Wellington by lorry on August 13 for the commencement of the Marchant Track in the Tararua Ranges. He, personally, selected the members of the party for this trip, and as far as he knew they were all experienced trampers and knew the conditions. Before leaving he made certain that every member of the party was properly equipped. They had more than sufficient food. The trip was nothing more than an ordinary tramping trip, and they did not endeavour to break any records. Fredric appeared to be absolutely fit. They left the lorry at Pakuratahi at about 9.45 a.m., and with the deceased leading they went to Dobson's Bivouac, taking their time and not straining themselves. They reached Dobson's at about 11.45. a.m., and while having a meal Frederic cut himself on the knee by dropping his sheath knife on it. The wound bled a little, and, using the first-aid equipment, they stopped the bleeding with iodine, cotton wool, and sticking plaster. The meal was a good hot one. At about 1 p.m. they left Dobson's and went on over Omega, through Hell's Gate to Alpha Hut. Before reaching Omega they had two stops, one at the lookout, just past Mount Marchant, and another at Block 16, where they stopped for a fair meal. No snow was met until they were going up the south side of Omega. The snow was thick and deep right up to Alpha Hut, but it had a good hard surface and was easy to walk upon. Alpha Hut was reached about 6.50 p.m., and they had a hot meal of stew and soup. At 7.45 a.m. next day they left for Otaki Forks. The conditions were not of the best, but were sufficiently good to justify their going on. On reaching the summit of Mt. Alpha conditions still seemed reasonably good, and from Alpha they went on to Mt. Aston. This place was considered to be one of the windiest spots in the Tararuas and as the wind here was not strong they decided to go on. STEPS RETRACED. Between Mts. Aston and Atkinson the wind became very strong, visibility dropped to almost zero, and a sleety rain commenced to fall. After passing Mt. Atkinson they found that one of the compasses had become waterlogged, and they retraced their steps to Mt. Atkinson to get correct bearings. They then went in to the south Bee Hive and this they found to be iced over, and there decided to turn back. It was then 1.10 p.m. and they were about 3| miles from Alpha Hut. By then the cold was intense. They started back at a pace that suited everybody, in order that the party would not get scattered. The wind was a strong side wind, and did not come consistently from the one direction, and was diverted by different ridges. On leavng Alpha Hut in the morning, Fredric had been wearing a balaclava, a windproof coat, and short trousers. At Mount Alpha witness had advised him to put on long trousers, but he did not do so until after passing Mount Atkinson the first time, when the conditions became bad. At no time did he complain that his legs were frozen. Witness thought that the fact that he was not wearing long trousers might have had an adverse effect on his condition. The deceased, at the.time of turning back, said he was not feeling too well, but as they were all in the same condition, they thought he was only a little worse than themselves. When climbing up the Alpha Saddle the deceased showed definite symptoms of distress. They stopped frequently. Then Wright and Steele commenced to help the deceased. By the time they reached the summit of Alpha, Collin, Butchers, and witness were some distance ahead of the other three. The wind and rain had softened the snow, and as witness had been breaking trail all the way back he was in a distressed condition himself. They waited on the summit of Alpha for a short time, and then, marking the trail with Condy's crystals, they went on. When they almost reached the bush line above Alpha Hut they heard Wright and Steele calling out from about 300 or 400 yards behind. Witness took Butchers's pack from him and went back to the others. He helped Collin down to the hut. The others were about ten minutes behind, and when Fredric was brought in he appeared to be dead. They applied artificial respiration for about one hour. On leaving the hut in the morning they left the body of the deceased there. The deceased was never at any time alone, said the witness to Senior-Ser-geant O'Neill. Witness had actually done the crossing when conditions were worse. The deceased seemed to be a very fit tramper. "NOTHING LACKING." Cedric Joseph Wright, a dental student, gave corroborative evidence. Nothing was lacking in their equipment. He did not think that the fact that the deceased wore short trousers would affect him. He put on long trousers as soon as he felt cold. Dr. P. P. Lynch described a post-mor-tem examination which he had made of the body of the deceased. The diseased condition of the heart was such that it might have caused death at any time, quite apart from any question of effort or strain. "I can honestly say,'' said Dr. Lynch to Mr. Agar, "that I don't think anybody could have behaved any differently, or that there was anything further they could have done that would have made any difference. If you had had an army of doctors there they could have done nothing." Constable J. J. McCarthy described the recovery of the body by a party of police and trampers. The deceased had apparently shown no signs of being in anything but a good state of health, said Mr. Gilbertson, and he was satisfied that every-