Holdsworth Search

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HOLDSWORTH SEARCH. December 10/12th. With much ado at Club on the Thursday night a reasonable sort of team was sorted out consisting of four sub-parties and most of the folk were at the T.T.C. rooms at the appointed hour on the folloi ing nighto Everyone piled in to the 'rmy truck and, plus one or two extras, but with a little space reserved, away we wento Half' a dozen more were collected en route through the Hutt Valley (One chap missed out - and even Mountain Man wasn't walking to asterton) and we headed for Bannister at a steady 30m.p.h. Stan's party had to set off for Mountain House almost straight away while after ahout half an hour we had to send Athol along after them. He liked Bannister so much he wanted to stay. Eventually, after breaking up one sub-party we were instructed to bed dor n somewhere near at hand. The following day two parties, about 12, plus odds and sods packed into a 15cwt. van and rode round to Mangateriri from where they set off for their respective areas, one the area in Block 37 from stream to ridge, the other, the Western face of Carrington Ridge. The day passed quickly with the ground being scoured with visual contact between searchers. However after meeting a large party, we headed back dovn stream to base, there to discover that we had made a mistake which, along with other parties, proved to be one of the major hoid-ups of the search, inability to locate the correct areao Sunday was completely re-organised with a re-shuffle of sub-party areas. Footprints were the main clue and served to narrow down the possible location of the girl At about

3 o'clock in the afternoon aircraft flew over and this was the signal that the search was over. Only a few minutes from Bannister at this time, we hastened our stride and on reaching the motor camp met a policeman handing out bottles of refreshment. Taking advantege of this singular opportunity we sat down in the shade and araited developments. After leaving Bannister on Friday night Stan's party were based at Mountain House and on Saturday covered the East face of Pig Flat and on Sunday, together with a Paua party, searched along the Corrington Ridge. Bill's party found the girl, and, excepting two, remained at Mangatariri to assist in the foilowing day's task of Carrying, returning to town that day. This search was the largest ever organised in New Zealand's history with some 400 people taking part in the weck's searching. Many faults were discovered, but improvements can only be made when they are discovered, and some recommendations are to be made to the National Search and Rescve Organisation. No praise can be given to this Club. Te were a very small section in a large organisation. Plenty worked harder and longer than any of our parties. In spite of the fact we were unable to save life, it is gratifying to know that there is still a spirit of co-opera tion prevailing among clubs and club members which is particulorly brought to the fore in a case of energency such as this was. The weekend was almost completely successful in this_sphere. The following took part:- Bill Rice (Party Leader), Dave Lowe, Mel Manning, Mike Reddington, Tom Lawton, Cyril Jacquard, Stan Kinder (Party Leader), Dén Collings, Keith Durrant, K. Ancell, Roger Reddington, Athol Geddes, John Robinson, Horry Dixon, Titch Graham, Dick Archer, frev Walsh, B. Toonath (C.T.C.) and Graene Hall (Party Leader, G.H. à o