ALPINIST'S FATAL FALL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19044, 18 June 1936, Page 9

ALPINIST'S FATAL FALL

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

THE RUAPEHU TRAOEDY

EXPERIMENTS BY GUIDE

(Per Prang Acsociation.) TAUMARUNTTI, last night. The adjourned inquest before, the coroner, Mr. A. S. Laird, concerning the death of James Alevruidor Gordon, solicitor, whose death occurred through his falling over an ice wall into the crater of Mount Ruapehu, was held today. P. Bayfield, manager of The Chateau, stated thai a notice was posted up entitled, "Hints to Mountain Climbers." The deceased and his party had notified their intention of climbing. Chief Guide Carl Risberg, recalled, said he experimented two days after the accident with sliding on a similar graded slope, and found that Hie ice axes would not bold or make the slightest impression on the ice. Even with crampons and a. rope they could not hold n List, man from sliding down. W. S. Ronnie, late secretary of the Ruapehu Ski Club, gave evidence that the Tourist Department had been repeatedly approached to have more equipment at the huts and have the huts connected by telephone to The Chateau. The club had offered assistance in erecting a 'phone line, but there had been no response from the department.. Witness said that each member o("a climbing party should be equipped with an ice axe, and the party should be roped together if there was any danger of sliding. A verdict was returned, that death was due to interna! injuries, shock and exposure.

The coroner considered that ihe deceased had an attack of syncope or fainting, rendering him unable to attempt m save himself. The coroner highly commended the. work of Messrs. A. Saudel and .1. Bryan, and Guide Risberg in the recovers of the deceased's bodv.