LUST IN THE BUSH.

Shannon News, 10 July 1923, Page 3

LUST IN THE BUSH.

MISSING MAN FOUND

At 1.15 p.jn. o.ii Friday a telephone message was received by Mrs McGregor, wile of Constable McGregor, that the young man Francis Stuart Robbie, who had been lost in the. bush at The Heights since Monday morning, had been lound at 11.20 o’clock that morning, after being five days, and four nights in the. open in bitter freezing weather. He was. discovered by a party consisting! of his father and Messrs H. Robinson, J. Crowther and Cox. The party were calling out and he heard and replied. Mr Crowther, thinking it was Mr Robinson who had .replied, asked “Is. that you, Harry?’’ pud received the answer “No.” He then went to where the call came from and found the missing man sitting on .a log on the edge of the creek Avhich runs, into the Mangore. He was about three, miles from the whare. Whendiscovered he was in an exhausted condition, having been wet through all the time and without food since Monday. He was in a bad state, his feet and hands being considerably swollen, and considering the severe weather most o-f the time, it was a wonder he came through the ordeal as well as he did. He was immediately attended to by the rescuerers who took off part of their clothing and made him' as comfortable as possible. Luckily a billy was found on the spot and hot tea was made. As he was unable to walk out Mr Crowther returned .to the whare where- he met Constable McGregor and a party from Palmerston, organised by Mr D. J. Lovelock, and including Messrs Lovelock, Percy, . Allan and Gordon Robbie, who had arrived to take part in the search. The party with a supply of blankets and an improvised stretcher made- of sacks with ai couple of poles, immediately returned to the bush to * bring in the exhausted mjan. He was at once brought into Shannon to Gohstable McGregor’s residence, Avhere he was attended by Dr. Macdonald, Mrs McGregor providing a bed and food for Mr Robbie, and doing all possible to make him- comfortable. Later on he was conveyed to his parents home iri Palmerston North by Mr Lovelock, in his car. The young man stated he went into the bush on Monday about 11 a,.nr. and; soon after a heavy fog came down and he wais unable to find bis way out of the bush. That night he camped under a, log and as the fog was still on next, morning he remained in the same spot, all that, day until Wednesday morning, when it had lifted. He then started, as he thought, to walk home, but finding himself on the top of the ■ range near the snow line (or among the goats as he put it) at once knew he had been travelling in the wrong direction. He decided to camp there that night. Next morning (Thursday) 1 he started back and got to the creek where he camped nearby where he wais found. He had nothing to eat all through. Although his dog cauight. a pig he had no matches to make a fire to cook it. The faithful animal remained with his master the whole time, lying down with him iatt night, and running alongside the stretcher on which the rescued man was carried out. It was with the greatest difficulty that the friendly, animal was separated from his master when the latter was put into the car. The dog’s condition was not forgotten by Constable McGregor who saw to its comfort. Constable McGregor states that when it was made known the man wa,s missing willing helpers to search came forward without the slightest hesitation, all of whom were unceasing in their efforts to. find the missing man. Mr H. Robinson, -who is an expert bushman, and is employed on the Dredge, on being informed offered his services and the foreman, Mr McKegan and Mr Jickeli at once granted him leave. He and Mr Crowther went out Wednesday and both knowing the country did great work. They both endured great hardship in that on the two nights spent on the hill they had to sleep in front of the fire in their wet clothes.

Search parties went out from every point. One from Top carnp (Manga, hao) in charge of Mr Wni Bird, from Mangore were Messrs. Croon, Kilminster, Astwood, Hayes. Matwig, front, Heights Messrs R. Law, F. Johnson, Pedersen and Constable McGregor, a party arranged by the police under Constable Greggan, from Levin, another party from the sawmill' at Ohau, and also one from the sawmill at Mangahao, while two parties organised by Mr D. J. Lovelock, journeyed from Palmerston North.

During the search ,a large scope of country was covered and great praise is due to a.ll who assisted, all working well and cheerfully.

The ,arrangement for notifying the searchers if the missing man was found was three rifle shots. This was given by Constable McGregor and it is reported the shots were heard at Manga,hao i . Also the whistles were blown at the hydro camps as a signal.