TOLL OF EGMONT.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18088, 4 August 1930, Page 7

TOLL OF EGMONT.

ACCIDENT TO A CLIMBER. ice-axe; penetrates chest. DIFFICULTIES OF RESCUE. (By Telegraph.—-Press Association.) STRATFORD, Monday. Mr Walter J. Hall, while climbing Mt. Egmont yesterday, slipped on aa ice axe which penetrated his. chest, but the effect of the injury will not be known for some days. A rescue party set out from Stratford House, but the conditions were so bad that it was realised the injured man would have to be taken to North Egmont. It took from 7 p.p. yesterday tiU 6 a.m- to-day to get him down. The difficulties in many places were so great that the stretcher could not be carried and the injured man had to be assisted on his feet over a part of the way. Three members of the rescue party—Messrs Holdane, L. Gibson and another —are missing. Conditions on the mountain are very bad, there being much snow and ioe. DISASTER TO RESCUE PARTY. ONE MAN SUCCUMBS. OVERCOME BY THE COLD. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday. The dangerous character of Mt. Egmont’s winter condition was again illustrated hy a serious accident to one man and the death from exhaustion of another who was a member of the searoh party. Messrs Walter J. Hall and White, masters of the Technical High School, ascended from Stratford to Warwick Castle 'Hail,- when skiing turned a somersault and fell on an ice axe, which It Is feared penetrated his lungs. Relief parties set out both "from Stratford and the North Egmont houses. They spent a terrible night. Hall was brought down to the Stratford House Hospital, where his wound was found riot to he as serious as feared. The Stratford House search party, comprising Messrs A. Haldane (caretaker )$ L. Gibson and Huggett met a disaster, Gibson succumbing to , the cold. His body was left in a gully. Fresh parties have gone out to bring in the body.