EGMONT CLIMB

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 February 1923, Page 2

EGMONT CLIMB

A MINISTER MISSING. (Per Press Association.) ELTHAM, January 31. Rev. William Murray, Presbyterian missionary, aged 60, belonging to Norinanby, has been lost on Mount Egmont since yesterday. A party consisting of Mr Murray, Rev. Orange (Eltham), Mr M. Thomas (Wanganui), and Mr G. Cook (Kaponga) made an ascent from Dawson’s Falls House to the summit early yesterday, intending to descend on the other side to North Egmont House. Rev. Murray disagreed on the route chosen, refused, in spite of argument, to listen to the ; appeals of the others, and' insisted on traversing a dangerous gorge, down which the others perforce followed, though a return by the same way appeared impossible. Meanwhile, Mr Cook returned to Dawson House for assistance. Orange and Thomas followed Murray, keeping in touch by shouting, to which Murray shortly refused to reply, and eventually the followers lost touch with him. The party could not follow his tracks. They unsuccessfully attempted to return up steep cliffs, but eventually cut a stairway back to the summit, returning to Dawson House late in the evening. No further word came this morning from North Egmont, so search parties went out, but Mr Orange collapsed, and had to return. Two parties went out to-day, and Rev. Orange and M rThomas returned to the mountain to-night to participate in a. further search to-morrow.