ALPINE TRAGEDY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11538, 15 January 1932, Page 5

ALPINE TRAGEDY

TWO YOUNG-'’ TEACHERS'" DEAD

ONE VICTIM APPARENTLY

DROWNED

OTHER PROBABLY DIED IN

SLEEP

(Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 14. After an arduous journey; seatrehers at 4,45 -this afternoon brought in the bodies of Mr Harold Smith, of Chancellor ■ Street, Shirley, aged 27; and Mr Charles Bernard Robbins, 11 Bunyari street, Waltham; aged. 27. married; " “ * - ’*

The bodies word brought to Bealey by -Mr E. W. Cochrane. Mr Loney is safe, and he will be brougbt down to Bealey to-morrow. Mr Robbins’ body ws found in- the Taipoiti stream at 7.30 a.m. at a height of 400 feet. The other body was found in a range /at the back of the stream, about 400 yards away ; '. 1 • Mr Robbins was badly cut about and it looked as though he had had a bad fall. Apparently he fell into tho stream and was drowned. Smith probably died in his' sleep. 7 Mr Robbins’ body had to be brought down 2000 feet, -.and was carried across tho snowfield. It was then carried 1 across’ the Taipoiti river, which had to ho forded twelve times.

Mir Smith’s body was brought down at shingle slide to the river and brought across. Both bodies were placed on pack horses and conveyed to BeaTey, arriving at 4.45. An inquest will be held at. Bealey to-morrow.

WITH THE SEARCHERS MR WILSON’S NARROW ESCAPE WASHED DOWN STREAM IN DARKNESS 'Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 14. When Mr Loney staggered into the camp of Messrs Sweney and Wilson in Harman Pass on Tuesday night,'Mr Wilson lost no time in setting out for assistance. He /reached Carrington hut at midnight, and having had a meal commenced * perilous descent in the dark to Realty. In his attempt to cross ' a deep ford in tho Waimakariri he almost met with disaster. He was unable to find his way in the darkness, and was caught in the swift current. Fortunately, he Was washed to the bank, but on the side from which he had set out. He crawled up the bank, and then deciding that it would bo futile' and foolhardy to repeat the attempt, went back to the hut to wait for daylight. Mr Wilson left Carrington hut for tho second time at 6 o’clock yesterday morning, and reached Bealey at 9.20. He hacf not spared himself on the run down to Bealey, and arrived at the Glacier Hotel in an exhausted condition, having covered a distance’ that normally takes live hours in three and a half hours. Attempts to persuade him to remain at Bealey failed and, mounted on a hack, he was the Erst to set out again to the rescue.

ANXIETY OVER TWO MORE TEACHERS. PROSPECTING FOR GOLD. NO WORD SINCE DEPARTURE ON DECEMBER 27. (Press Association) HIKITIKA, Jan. 14. Merle Sweney, 23, son of the secretary of the Hokitika Gasworks Co., and Jas.. P. Wilson,, both of Christchurch Training College, left here on December 27 for the hills for,' the purpose of pf ospecfcmg for gold They were to visit the Park Morpeth hut and Carrington hut, arranging provisions, and then go over the Mungo prospecting. They had an •801 b swag of provisions,- -and - a tin dish, a rifle and ammunition. There, has been no word since they left.