FATALITY ON RUAPEHU

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1927, Page 7

FATALITY ON RUAPEHU

STORY OF MR. HOLL’S DEATH. COMPANION GIVES DETAILS. (By Wire. —Special to News.) Auckland, Last Night. Further details of the death of Mr. H. A. Holl, who was drowned while fording a stream on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu were given by his companion, Mr. J. A. Bartrum. “It was a pure misadventure,” said Mr. Bartrum, in referring to the tragedy. “Mr. Holl had so often pitted his knowledge and strength against Nature and succeeded, and I suppose it is inevitable that Nature should sometimes win as she has done on this occasion.” Mr. Bartrum was about eight feet away from Mr. Holl when the latter, who was leading a pack-horse, suddenly plunged forward and was swept down the stream like a cork. Had Mr. Holl’s hands not been numb as the result of the intense cold and rain, Mr. Bartrum thought it possible that his companion could have held on to the horse’s bridle long enough for assistance to be given. The current was so swift and strong that Mr. Holl, who was carrying a comparatively light swag of about 301 b, was swept away in a flash. The accident occurred at about midstream at a point where the stream is about one and a half chains wide, and the w r ater was waist high. Large rocks varying in length from six inches to three and four feet studded the flooded stream, and Mr. Bartrum thinks that contact with these, rather than actual drowning, caused Mr. Holl’s death. “Mr. Holl had told me we were about a quarter of an hour from safety,” said Mr. Bartrum in acknowledging that both were aware there was a risk in fording the flooded stream. However, in every mountain climber there was willingness* to accept these risks. In this instance there were perhaps more than the usual elements of danger.