Eliciting the Facts Of Climbing Tragedies

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 August 1933, Page 3

Eliciting the Facts Of Climbing Tragedies

INSTRUCTIONS TO CORONERS

WELLINGTON, Aug. 4,

A statement that the Justice Department had already communicated with coroners in reference to certain aspects of inquests arising out of mountaineering fatalities was made by Hon. J. G. Cobbe when replying to a deputation from the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand which requested that coroners be asked to give every facility to the federation being represented at such inquests. Mr. Harper, president of the federation, said that the only way to prevent accidents \yas to point out how they could be avoided. He suggested that it be pointed out to coroners that the federation be represented so that all t;he facts might be elicited. In some eases the coroner was not conpernuu with what led to the fatality as long as ho knew what caused it. The Minister read a memorandum which stated that a communication had been forwarded to coroners drawing their attention to instructions which had been issued to the police in regard to mountaineering accidents and requesting them to afford every facility to enable the police to give effect to the instructions.