GIRLS KILLED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 8

GIRLS KILLED

HOLIDAY TRAGEDY CUFF TOP COLLAPSES HURLED 200 FEET FATE OF TWO COUSINS COMPANION ESCAPES [by telegraph—owx cohuespondent] HASTINGS. Wednesday Two Hastings schoolgirls lost their lives to-day when a cliff face on the Pakaututu Station, 15 miles from the Puketitiri post office, in tho back country, 35 miles from Napier, slipped away. They were hurled 200 ft. below. The little victims were: — Gertrube Hart, aged 11 years. Esma Hunter, aged 10£ years. Tho two girls, who were cousins, were spending tho school vacation at the Pakaututu Station, of which the manager, Mr. Edward English, is their undo. During the morning the two deceased, accompanied by a younger sister of Esma Hunter, aged seven years, set out from the homestead, their intention being to reach a creek. In order to do this it was necessary to traverse a track which winds down the face of a high cliff above the creek.

When the accident occurred Gertrube Hart was separated from the two Hunter sisters and a portion of the cliff upon which she was standing commenced to slide away in the form of a miniature avalanche, it being of papa and shingle formation. Effort to Save Companion

The elder girl Hunter went a short distance to assist her companion 'and she, too, became involved in the slip, which carried them both down the precipitous side of the cliff to its baso 200 ft. below.

The youngest girl of the party, seeing what had occurred to her companions, made her way back to the station, where Mr. English was informed. He immediately made his -way to the scene of tho accident and it was only with the greatest difficulty and some two hours after the tragedy had occurred that he was able to reach the bodies, which were terribly injured by the fall. Recovery ol the Bodies At 2.45 o'clock this afternoon the Hastings police were informed and Constable Gartley, of Taradale, left immediately for Puketitiri to undertake the recovery of the bodies. Considerable difficulty was experienced by the constable in this connection owing to the inaccessible nature of their location. »Before he reached them it was necessary for him to cross the river on 27 occasions.

The bodies were finally brought out and were expected at Hastings late tonight.