DEATH IN SNOW

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18192, 13 September 1933, Page 5

DEATH IN SNOW

MR. DEEM’S BODY FOUND SEARCH PARTY’S STRUGGLE After a 7|-hour struggle through a blinding snowstorm, a search party, 10 strong, on Monday recovered the body of Mr J. 8. L. Deem, city engineer at Wanganui, who died from a heart attack while climbing on Mount Ruapehu on Sunday. The remains were removed to Wanganui. Dr. Helen Deem, deceased’s wife, who was climbing with her husband when he died, also returned to Wanganui. 'Equipped with waterproofs and a stretcher, the search party, under the leadership of Mr R. Cobbc, manager of the Chateau, set off at 4 a.m. in stormy weather. There were 15 men in the party and one woman, Nurse Rose, or the Karitane Hospital, Wanganui, with whom the deceased and his wife had been climbing the day of the fatality. She accompanied the men to point out the place where the body was lying, as the locality was well away from, the beaten track. The wind was blowing gale force, accompanied by snow and sleet, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the members of the party could at times keep on their feet. Sometimes it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. The wind was bitterly cold and the searc-hers were nearly frozen by the time they reached the spot, about 6000 ft. up tho mountain-side and an hour’s climb from the Salt. Hut. Nurse Rose had left an ice-axe beside the body tho day before, and as a result of her thoughtfulness the place was found without much difficulty. The ibody was half covered with freshlyfallen snow and but .for the ice-axe standing up like a finger-post it would undoubtedly have been hard to find. Tho body was placed on tho stretcher and was taken back to the Chateau. An inquest was held before Mr A. 8. Laird, J.P., of Taum.aruiiui. .Miss Rose said she accompanied Mr Deem and his wife on a climb on Ruapehu. Descending from a height of 8000 ft. about 4.15 p.m., Mr Deem collapsed. She and Dr. Deem helped him to a rock and administered artificial respiration, but without result. The coroner returned .a verdict that death was due to heart failure.