SEARCH PARTIES DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FOOD FOR MR JOB

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1948, Page 6

SEARCH PARTIES DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FOOD FOR MR JOB

OHAKUNE, Sunday (“Chronicle” Staff Reporter.—Chief complaint of most of the searchers when they returned to the Lase camp at Cowern’s MUI, two miles north-east of the Horopito township, was that they had insufficient food for such a gruelling trip. The arrangements for the supply of rations had broken .loin and some of the men, experienced gruelling tcamps, e.' pressed their complaint m forcible terms. The arrangement was that the rescue parites should be dropped supplies from Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft from Ohakea at the base at the top of the Mangaturuturu Valley before they continued the final part of the journey to the wreckage. Returning searchers told reporters that the supplies had been dropped after they had started their journey. Under the impression that they would be dropped supplies, most of the trampers did not carry any rations, and when they arrived back at the base many of them were almost completely done in. “We have had nothing to eat since we left here yesterday afternoon. The organisation so far as food is concerned was a disgrace,” stated one of the first men to return to base. He was a traffic inspector and was one of a party which had not gone right to the scene of the accident. He and his companions were showing the signs of the ordeal andw ere almost out on their feet. Other men who had tramped to the wreckage and carried the bodies of the victims back to the Mangaturuturu base on stretchers, under conditions which they described as “terrible,” “the worst going we have ever experienced” and “I would never like to do a similar trip,” were disgusted at the arrangements for supplying them with food.

“The rescue parties included some of the most experienced men in the and it was a disgrace the way we were looked after,” said one man. “I never had anything to eat all day until I got back to the base camp, when when i was given a cold cup of tea and a lousy pear.” He said that food was dropped in canisters, but there was far froja being sufficient to cater for the large number of men engaged in the search. He asserted that some of the men who reached the canisters after they had been dropped fared all right, but their companions either got nothing or very little. “You are from the press. Well, don’t forget to mention that we appreciated the rations which were given to us,” was the sarcastic comment of another tough looking climber whose face showed unmistakable signs of the trying ordeal he and his companions had been through. He alleged that the large party stationed at the base at the plateau had fared all right so far as food was concerned, but that it was those who were actively engaged in the search who suffered. ARMY PROVIDES MF/AL. When the rescue parties arrived back at the Horopito base they found a square meal and a hot cup of tea awaiting them. Army personnel from the military camp at Waiouru hau prepared for them a substantial tea with plenty of potatoes and vegetables. One tramper who was struggling along the tramline forlornly, when met by reporters brightened immediately when told of the Army stew. “1 never thought I would relish any Army stew again,” he said and hurried off with quickened step. The food canisters which were dropped yesterday morning by the Air Force were quickly retrieved, but their contents were just insufficient to go around. “It would have requir- | ed another miracle of the five fishes," said one man. Several of the trampers had taken ' their own food with them and they I finished in better fettle than their • more unfortunate companions. In addition to the complaint of insufficiency of food, many searchers said that the type of food dropped was unsuitable. One man found himself with a tin of pineapple juice and other containers had tins ot pears, apricots and tomatoes. When the instructions for supplies to be dropped 'omorrow morning were being dis■atched tonight, a request was made for the containers to have bread, butter and jam and not tinned fruits.

“BLUDGERS” PRESENT. I Anotlior complaint voiced by ' meanhers of the main party was that many what they termed ; “bludgers” had gone up the mountain with little idea ot as- ’ sitting, hut to view the wreckage. A large number of men tramped up to within visibility of . (he wreckage and then turned back for base. I Men who returned from the mounI lain this morning said that the food position yesterday was good. The ’ supplies dropped by Royal New Zea- | land Air Force Havards were adequate and the type of food dropped I was better, including tinned meal and I fish, with ample supplies of bread. ' “When we were coming down this morning a Havard dropped a canister of food and it dropped right on the track near us. A real bulls-eye,” said Mr. T. Shout, one of the organisers of the party. The dropping of food on Friday night had been difficult as a strong wind was bio.- ing and they were car- | ried away. Several canisters had to •be retrieved from across ravines and entailed much arduous tramping.