GUIDE OF THREE GIRLS WHO DIED IN ALPS CLOSELY QUESTIONED

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 May 1948, Page 6

GUIDE OF THREE GIRLS WHO DIED IN ALPS CLOSELY QUESTIONED

Coroner Reserves His Findings; The Copland Pass Tragedy

(Press Association) TIMARU, May 26 The searching examination of Guide Michael Joseph Sullivan, who led the ill-fated party across the Copland Pass on April 6-7 was continued this afternoon when Hie inquest into ihe deaths of Thelma Leone Jefcoate, Christine Margaret Sullivan, both aged 19, nurses, of Dunedin, and Joan Gabriel Bust, aged 29, clerk, of Christchurch, was resumed before the coroner (Mr. M. M. Kilting, J.P.).

After further evidence had been heard the coroner said he would need time to consider his verdict.

When the adjournment was taken yesterday, Guide Sullivan was still in the box and today, under further examination from Mr. J. A/ Wicks, Christchurch, who appeared for the relatives of Miss Bust, he described the conditions at the time the party halted at the ridge where they spent the night. He said that at 8 p.m. blizzard conditions—rain, sleet and wind—were experienced, the wind being the worst factor. At times the lights of the Hermitage were visible, but he considered it futile to use electric torches which the party carried to send distress signals. When Miss Jefcoate complained of pains in her chest he did not think that they were caused by exhaustion, but that she was more likely suffering from heart trouble. Mr. Wicks: It was suggested yesterday that Miss Jefcoate, being unable to continue, was the cause of the party spending the night on the ridge. Do you think that perhaps you drove her too hard, thereby causing exhaustion? Sullivan.: Definitely not. Sullivan added that tne party was equipped to deal with such an emergency as a sprained ankle, but not a broken leg. Knowing the calibre of the party and their previous experience, he considered that one guide was ample for the trip.

STAYED WITH GIRDS ALL NIGHT Mr. Wicks: In order to clear up rumours in Christchurch that you were not present when the gins died, and these rumours should be stopped, in what order did they die?

Sullivan: Miss Jefcoate died first, and Misses Sullivan and Bust together. Miss Bust was the last to move. I stayed with the girls the whole night through and did not go to the Hooker hut. Witness said that he owed his survival to physical fitness and the fact that he was moving around more. Recalling yesterday’s evidence, in which Mr. Sullivan said that he tried to get Miss Jefcoate to her feet but she refused, Mr. Gresson, who appeared foi Sullivan, asked witness what he meant by “refused.’’ Sullivan replied that Miss Jefcoate was unable to get to her feet because of her condition. He said that when the party left the Douglas hut Misses Sullivan and Jefcoate were clad in shorts, but when he noticed that Miss Jefcoate was not travelling quickly he ■ suggested that she put on her longs, and this she did. On his suggestion Miss Sullivan put on her longs just before entering the pass. When the party reached the top of the pass he was engaged in cutting steps from the top down the Hooker side for approximately two hours. The rocks were “plastered’’ or covered in ice, while on the upper ridges the crevices and hollows were filled with snow drifts, and going was slow. He had made the trip between 20 and 30 times, and had never taken a sleeping bag. BORN IN MOUNTAINS

Replying to the coroner, Mr. Sullivan said he was born in the mountains and had been guiding parties since 1938. It would not be practicable to carry and operate a wireless receiving set on such a trip. There was no regulation clothing to be worn on mountain trips, but he thought that woollen underclothing was more suitable than cotton. He noticed the first deterioration in the weather between 10 am. and 11 a.m., or six miles from the Douglas hut, five hours after they had left it. Assuming that none of the party took ill, it would have taken between two and three hours to return to the scrub on the west side.

Barry Herbert Ayres, guide at the

Hermitage, who with Guide Forsythe first arrived at the scene of the tragedy, said the position was 1800 feet above the Hooker hut. “In my opinion the position in which the bodies were lying was the best on this particular slope,” said witness. “Better shelter could have been obtained two to three hundred feet further down, under a rock bluff, if they could have been moved that far. If the party had been subjected to the severe cold wind from the south-east experienced by us they could not have lived as long as we were informed they had lived. “In view of the apathetic condition of the girls, it is my opinion that Guide Sullivan did all that he could for them.” Asked by Mr. J. W. Rolleston, who appeared for the relatives of Misses Jefcoate and Sullivan, Mr. Ayres said it would have been difficult for one man to have shifted Miss Jefcoate to the shelter of the bluff lower down. Ayres toid Mr. Gresson that the spot where the party camped was approximately six miles from the Hermitage. NORMALLY EQUIPPED Andrew Robert Michael Bowie, chief guide at the Hermitage, said that the party was equipped with the normal and good gear that would be carried by a party on such a trip; and were clothed in a normal manner. “I have examined the lists of the clothing stripped from the bodies by the police, and in my opinion it would be the normal clothing worn by any party on such a trip,’’ he said. “The party had been following the usual route from the top of the pass, and the point at which the bodies were found was about 5800 feet, which was about 1200 feet from the top of the pass. Under the conditions we experienced [ would have followed the same route. It was found that if the girls could have been moved about 200 feet down the slope they would have obtained considerably better shelter from the elements than that in which we found them.”

Mr. Rolleston: Do you think Miss Jefcoate could have been shifted to the rocky shelter 200 to 300 feet below?

Witness: Yes, but not after dark. If anyone had slipped in the area where the bodies were found the party would have gone down several hundreds of feet down rock bluffs. Guide Bowie said he did not know of any reason why the clothing found in the ruc-sacks should not have been used.

Replying to Mr. Wicks, witness said that the guide was always the leader of a party, and his decision would be final, although it was customary to discuss plans with party. A guide was also responsible for seeing that the equipment was in order and should know the climbing abiilty of a party. The coroner: What qualifications are necessary before one can become a guide? Witness: None at all, nor does a guide require to be registered. There are no rules and regulations governing the guiding of moun-

tain parties. Mr. Bowie added that he thought woollen underclothing should be worn when traversing the mountains. From his experience the weather did not change without warning near the top of the Copland Pass. Constable E. J. Trappit, who took possession of the clothe? from the bodies, said that extra clothing was in two of the ruc-sacks, which were recoverd. Hf had found a thick woollen jersey in the pack of Miss Jefcoate.

“It will be neecssary to give careful consideration to the finding,” said the coroner, when the inquest concluded at 5.45 p-m.