SEARCHERS RETURN WITH COLLEGE GIRL’S BODY

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 December 1949, Page 5

SEARCHERS RETURN WITH COLLEGE GIRL’S BODY

MASTERTON, Yesterday. The body of the 17-year-old Solway College girl Merle Gwynne, who had been missing on Mount Holdsworth since Saturday, December 3, was found on the western slopes of Carnington Ridge yestero'y. The body was brought out today. It is now thought that at some stage after being missing Miss Gwynne regained the main track. After leaving one group of the party of Solway College girls with whom she was climbing to the Mountain House, Miss Gwynne apparently turned down Totara Flat track instead of continuing on the main track. She then turned back and regained the main track, but turned off it again down Carrington Track, which is little used and as it gets further down, is very hard to follow. From the main track it is almost a right-angled turn. The body was discovered by a party of Wellington trampers who were among the 200 searchers engaged in intensive operations over the weekend. Miss Gwynne's shoes were found first, about 200 yards away from the body, which was discovered in a depression in-a small patch of open bush, surrounded by an area of almost impenetrable bush and pig fern. The body was brought out today after a track had been cut with slashers. The search parties were recalled to the base by pre-arranged signals two planes of the Wairarapa Aero Club.