HEROIC TASK

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 80, 16 March 1933, Page 8

HEROIC TASK

BOY CARRIED 54 MILES BUSH JOURNEY IN DARKNESS. MOTHER ACCOMPANIES pABTY. As no other means of transport was available on account of the rugged, broken nature of the country, a party of settlers in the Okuru district, south Westland, carried a sick boy lor 54 miles, mostly by uigiit, to the nearest settlement where mu could be obtained. laKing turns in cany mg the stretcher, the party lorded several mountain torrents and climbed through natron gorges and dense bush.

One night recently Bernard Cowan, the only son ot Mr and Mrs A. Cowan, ol Okura, nho had been ill lor several days, developed symptoms of appendicitis and it was decided to take him al once to Maintain, 51 miles distant. An elder brother some time ago use similarly ill and a small ship was summoned to take him to Hokitika, but belore he could be removed from the isolated settlement he died. When Bernard Cowan became seriously ill a party consisting of the boy’s father and Mr A. Cron, Mr V. Cron, Air J. Cron. Air F. Russel, Air Harr's and Air L'liristiansen, all settlers in the district, was organised. From his home the boy was taken m a trap to the bank of the Haast River, the Okuru River being forded during the journey, in darkness the Haast River was crossed in a tiny boat, the crossing in the rushing torrent being full of danger.

After making a successful landing on the other bank, the first relay of bearers set out along a tussocked flat behind the North Haast Beach, the darkness at times being lightened by a full moon which shone at intervals through heavy, overcast clouds. Every few miles the party had to ford a small rushing burn m the hollows. The track then entered dense forest, but the bearers pushed on with only a few stops to change their burden. When they had crossed the Aloari River, which was freshened by late rams, the party was faced with an eight-mile climb over a mountain saddle, but they pushed on, following narrow tracks through the gorges and forcing their way through matted undergrowth. At times they were compelled to follow rocky creek beds and traverse swampy patches, which made their task almost impossible. After crossing the saddle the path became easier and at dawn the bearers were approaching the Paringa River. After a short rest at a hut for a drink of welcome tea the party forded the river and continued at an even pace until early in the afternoon the last stream barring their path, the Alahitahi River, was reached. This was crossed iff safety, and the boy was taken to the Alahitahi Post Office, where he was met by a car driven bv a settler from Bruce Bay. The boy was then taken to the Hokitika Hospital. The boy's mother accompanied him during the long journey, riding alongside the stretcher whenever conditions permitted and at other times leading her horse up the steep mountain tracks and through the bush.