SNOW SLIDE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 26042, 5 March 1947, Page 6

SNOW SLIDE TRAGEDY

INQUEST ON TWO VICTIMS

WERE TOO MANY ROPED TOGETHER?

(P..A.) TIMARU, March S. The opinion that the climbers

should have been roped together in groups of not more than four, and that he himself would not have risked a party of 19, ob- ; viously inadequately equipped,

down the slope in question, was given by Guide M. Bowie in evidence at the inquest into the death of two members Of the Victoria College Tramping Club on the Neumann Range in January. The coroner reserved his verdict. The inquest concerned the deaths of Roy McGregor Dickson and Stanley Charles Allaway, both of whom lost their lives when a snow slide gn tha precipitous

slopes of the Neumann Range leading down to the Dobson Valley involved 11 of the 19 climbers.

Conducting the inquiry on behalf of the police, Senior-sergeant S. King put pertinent questions to several members of the party on the lines of those asked of the leader, Frank Foster Evison, which were as follows: —

Senior-sergeant King: If you are an experienced climber and are ranked as a prominent Dominion, climber, would you consider it right and proper to adhere strictly. to the fundamental lules laid down by past and present mountaineers in regard -to physical condition, equipment, and submission to the guide and leader?— Yes.

Did you^examine your party in respect of equipment?—No. x How many of your party did you know to be inadequately equipped?—. None was inadequately equipped. Do you now think your party was too large for such an excursion? —No. 1 understand that certain members of the party were equipped with sticks only. Is that sq?—Yes. Had not your experience taught you that the snow and the condition it -was in called for extreme caution on-that particular day?—Yes. Do you think, after two montCs’ reflection, that it would have been better if you had iinsisted on roping the climbers in groups of four or five? —No. '

If you had the control or leadership of a similar party would you act differently now ?—N o. Why did you allow this party as a whole to decide whether or not they should be roped?—l did not allow the party to decide. ,The matter was discussed and I made the decision. 1 took the advice of other members, and on their advice I acted.

Do you know that Bince 1930 23 persons have lost their lives in similar . accidents, and that most- of these accidents could have -been avoided ? My explanation of the primary cause of the accident was the peculiar condition of the snow.

Did yoq consider the probabilities of danger, or did you in any way consider the possibility of unforeseen changes of conditions ?—No.

While the stronger members ‘of the party were proceeding with due caution, some of the less experienced climbers could not have been stepping as' carefully as "was necessary in soft, wet snow lying at a steep angle, stated James Witten-Hannah, a Civil servant, of Wellington. “In my opinion, although climbing ropes may not have been-required by the actual difficulty of the ascent,, and would probably not have assisted the party when it was involved in a general snow slide, roping the party - m groups or four or five would have given more control over the movements of the individual members of, the party.” He added: “ The only defect in the conduct of the party by its leaders. Evison and Scotney, was that- it was too unwieldy for them to exercise proper control.” Recalling the descent on the t Neumann Range into the Dobson Valley, Albert Henry Scotney,- teacher at Rongotai College, Wellington, said all went well until they reached .a slightly steeper part of the slope. He stopped on the steep part, and urged all in the party to keep to the steps made by the leader. “ Within a minute or two of resuming I heard a woman’s voice call ‘Oh,’ and on looking round saw a girl sliding down the slope in a sitting position,” Scotney continued. <4 Sensing the danger, 1 shouted to the party, 1 Dig in your axes.’ I repeated this twice, but almost immediatelv a number of others lost their footing, and the snow started to move. I was carried away with it.” * When lie finally came to a stop, Scotner said he found himself in company with six climbers, includiug Allaway and Dickson. The former was dead, having extensive head injuries. Dickson was alive, suffering from a severe laceration on his right srde. He struggled for a while, and had to be roped to a climber, Witten-Hannah, to prevent him from falling down the next bluff. He died 10 or 15 minutes later. " *