NIGHT SPENT IN OPEN

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 9

NIGHT SPENT IN OPEN

MAN’S VIGIL AT KORU PA

WAY LOST ON RANGES TRACK.

ROUGH TRIP ACROSS COUNTRY.

BARRED BY BRIDGELESS RIVER.

Losing his way while descending the Surrey Hill Road track in the Kaitake Ranges on Sunday afternoon, a young New Plymouth man, Oliver Wilton, spent an unenviable night in the open.

After straying from the correct path he did not turn back and after a strenuous tramp through bush and blackberry he came upon the Koru stream, which he followed to the pa. The darkness and the destruction of the bridge there by flood waters necessitated his camping there for the night and he reached the Koru post office soon after 6 a.m. yesterday, in time to advise friends at New ■Plymouth of his safety just as a search party was about to set out. Mr. Wilton was little the worse for wear yesterday, in spite of a sleepless night in wet clothes, thg main damage being caused by blackberry thorns encountered on his progress through the bush.

AFTERNOON WALK UP TRACK.

Mr. Wilton was with a party in a car driven by Mr. W. J. Dunn, New Plymouth. The car was taken to the top of Surrey Hill Road, inland from Oakura, in the course of an afternoon drive, and Mr. Wilton and Mr. Dunn set out up the track for a tramp soon after 2.30.

After about, two miles Mr. Dunn stopped to rest and wait while Mr. Wilton went on to the top of the track, about a mile and a-half further on. After waiting for some time Mr. Dunn “cooeed.” Although he received no reply to his calls, which could be heard from the car, he did not worry as his companion had a sore thrbat. After waiting till the approach of sunset Mr. Dunn went back to the car and enlisted the aid of the caretaker of the forestry company’s plantations and the two went back up the track, thinking that Mr. Wilton might have hurt his ankle. After a thorough patrol in the falling dusk the searchers realised that the missing man must.have lost the track on the way down, and had the simplicity of the error demonstrated when they found themselves also off the line at the place where, it was found later, Mr. Wilton had deviated.

Being without torches, Mr. Dunn and his companion went back to the car, which Mr. Dunn drove round to Wells Road in the- hope that his companion had emerged there. There was no sign of him, however, and, leaving the caretaker and ranger of the plantation to make a further search, Mr. Dunn drove back to New Plymouth and arranged with Messrs. M. McGrath and Drake, of the same office as Mr. Wilton, to commence a further search at. daylight.

SEARCH PARTY READY TO LEAVE.

The night search party reported by telephone at 4 a.m. that there was no sign of Mr. Wilton, but soon after 6 o’clock, as the New Plymouth party was about to set off. the missing tramper telephoned from the Koru post office to report “all well.” Mr.’ Dunn went out and picked up his companion, who was tired and wet but otherwise in good shape. Recounting the story of his experiences Mr. Wilton said he was in x. hurry on the return so as not to keep the party waiting, but left the tack where it swung abruptly to the left. He followed an ill-defined track to the right some distance before he discovered his mistake, but went on into a valley. Blackberries proved an obstacle and darkness raced him along the Koru stream to the pa, where he kept vigil all night. Early next morning he crossed the stream and made his way to the post office, where he was provided with a country breakfast that soon restored his energies. By yesterday afternoon he had removed the blackberry thorns from his' arms, said Mr. Wilton, and ( had only a similar work to perform on his knees.