FATAL FALL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12869, 23 May 1936, Page 2

FATAL FALL

MOUNTAINEER’S DEATH. PARTY NOT lIORED TOGETHER. EVIDENCE .'AT JNQTJEST. f Press Association} TAUMARUNUI, May 22, At ..the' inquest: . concerning tlio death of Jam os Alexander Gordon, who lost his life on Mount Ruapehu on odne.'iduy, before Mr. A. S. Laird, Coroner, Donald Hall Nicholson, solicitor, gave evidence' as to the conditions l’or ascending the glacier. Thcv were .perfect and they decided to ascend Ruapelm peak, the highest point on the'mountain. The'party, had not gone more than fifty yards from the spot whore they had lunch when Munnering, who was leading, struck hard ice and immediately decided to go back as the conditions were too danjgerous. When' ’ witness turned round, ho saw deceased, who was sifting down, begin to slide;-They called out to him to dig his feet in, hut he gathered speed and disappeared over the edge of the crater lake. Witness anil Mi.mnering ■ went round ’to the eastern side-of the lake., where, they Wene able to see Gordon clinging to a rock. ■ They endeavoured to find

suitUble spot to get down to Gordon’s assistance but, with the small length of rope they had, it was impossible for them to do so. They called to Gordon and he answered them. The party liiiwl not been roped together. Witness then took the boys back to the Chateau. M.anncring stayed at tlio crater

to encourage Gordon to hold on

Edward Patrick Cotton describ:a his dash down tho mountain side- for help. He met Risberg at Ruapelm ski

hut and measures to rescue Gordon wore taken at once.

Wefton Alexander Mannei'ing gavi evidence that, after Nicholson left, witness went hack to tho crater’s

edge and told deceased men were fanning with ropes. Gordon replied, “All right-, old man.’’ Witness endeavoured alone to get .down to him on the south-east .side, but was blocked by a sheer drop of forty feet. Witness then cut steps to facilitate the work of the rescue party. Gordon later moved to another rock mar tho

edge of the lake. He was standing about waist deep in Ihe water. Gordon fell buck oil to the rock and soon after disappeared and witness ]al.;r saw the body floating. Soon alter this, Chief Guido Risberg arrived and ho and witness endeavoured to get down hut it was impossible. A relief party arrived at 3 o’clock- which was on extraordinary quick response as the accident happened at 11. £0 ft. in. Attempts by the relief party to get down to the lake failed and, as it was obvious Gordon was dead, th:y returned to the Chateau.

Evidence was then given as to the ‘•ecovery of the body, also medical evidence and the inquest was adjourned sine die.

The ladies again! The marked preference shown by women for the “smoker” on tram-cars was strikingly illustrated the other Friday evening Gate shopping night), in Auckland. At the safety zone, near tho Queen Street terminus were assembled eleven women and several men, and when an °mptv tram hound for one of the •suburbs pulled up. the men stood aside to allow the ladies to step aboard first. And everyone of the eleven women made straight for the smoking compartment! ’Twas not always thus 1 But ladies rarely object to tobacco smoke now!—they love it! And “toasted” is largely responsible for the change, because its fragrance is so delightful that- it appeals to both sexes alike. And what wonderful tobacco it is! No brand like it to solace and comfort the smoker! The five varieties: Navy Qut No. 3 (Bulldog), Cut Plug No. 10 (Bulkhead). Cavendish. Riverliead Gold and Desert Gold are so effectually purified by the special toasting process to which they are subjected at the factory that there’s scarcely any nicotine in any of them. Hence their harmlessness!