memorial plaque

Don't know about the plaque, David Patterson was a Vic Uni Student, died age 19 when caught in a snow storm in Tararuas. Wrote a book of poetry "Up Over Alpha".

If you can find a copy of Chris MacLean's book "The Tararuas" I am sure it will be explained there. The book is out of print now but I am sure there will bge copies in most Public Libraries.

Oh, here it is (page 232, first edition) as a brief reference whilst describing the building of structures before helicopters -- "In 1960, however, when the Victoria University Tramping Club built a bridge over the Tauherenikau near Cone Hut as a memorial to Bryce Evans and David Patterson (who had died near Hector two years earlier), it was pre-fabricated in Naenae and flown in by helicopter." According to the index that's the only reference to the names. There may be something in newspapers at the very least around 1958, but the National Library only has those searchable online up to WW2, I think for copyright reasons.

Incidently, that paragraph of MacLean's book cites an article called 'Cone Bridge' by G. Caddie, in VUWTC '71. You could try popping over to the VUWTC forums and ask if anyone has any ancient copies they could look up. http://vuwtc.org.nz/cs/forums/default.aspx , or otherwise knows the story.

Thanks everyone for all the info. I had tried to see if there was anything on the Papers Past web site but it does not cover the more up to date newspaper issues. from what I can recall (in the mid sixties) the bridge was a fairly solid structure and was a suspension bridge as opposed to a swing bridge. I seem to recall it was painted orange. I have a photo of the bridge and the plaque somewhere