LATE MR J. S. L. DEEM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 244, 12 September 1933, Page 6

LATE MR J. S. L. DEEM.

TRAGIC DEATH ON MT. RUAPEHU.

The tragic death of Mr J. S. L. Deem, city engineer of AVanganui, on Mt. Ruapehu, on Sunday afternoon, occurred at a spot 6000 feet up the slopes and about five miles from the Chateau, some distance away from the usual route up the glacier. As reported yesterday, Mr Deem set out to climb, accompanied by his wife, Dr. - Helen Deem, __ and a friend, Nurse Rose, of the ivaritane Hospital, Wanganui. The two women were forced to leave the body in the snow. After great difficulty it was recovered yesterday morning and brought to the Chateau.

When the Wanganui party was exploring near tho toot of the Whakapapa glacier, about 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, Mr Deem collapsed. It was impossible to search the mountain that night, and a party of twelve, headed by Mr R. Cobbe, manager of the Chateau, and Nurse Rose, set out at 4 o’clock yesterday morning. The party had a very difficult task in reaching the foot of the glacier. Mr Cobbe said it was blowing extremely hard, and at times it was difficult for tire party to keep on their feet. Snow was driving hard in their faces, and often they could not see 10 yards ahead. When the two women left Mr Deem on Sunday afternoon Nurse Rose had placed an ice-axe on the snowfield to indicate the spot where the body was lying, and had it not been for this, Mr Cobbe said, the search party would have had Ybe greatest difficulty in finding the body. Mr Deem’s body, was eventually found, partially covered with snow. The party arrived back at the Chateau shortly after 11 o’clock after an arduous trip. An inquest was held by the coroner, Mr J. Laird, J.P., of Taumarunui, yesterday afternoon. Mr Deem arrived at the Chateau from Wanganui on Saturday to spend the week-end with his wife and their friends. He was a keen mountaineer, and knew the country well. He had not had a day’s illness in his life. Two years ago he took a prominent part in the search for the party of Auckland University College students who were blizzard-bound on the mountain for several days.