PUKE BRIDGE FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 77, 30 March 1920, Page 5

PUKE BRIDGE FATALITY.

A DANGEROUS GAP. THE CORONER'S FINDING. LOCAL BODY'S RESPONSIBILITY. (By Telegraph.- Own t'orresmnndent.) PAEROA. this day. The coroner's inquest concerning the Puke bridge fatniity wits concluded about 10.30 last nijjht. The coroner's finding was "That William C. Walker and Harry Stookley met the'r deaths on the ."nil March. 111:20, by drowning in the Waihou River. liie ear in which deceased wcr.. travelling, failing over the Puke bridge into the river owing to a portion of the structure being open to allow the parage of a -toamer. The occupants of the ear, as far as the evidence shows, i.ii.fl to <-cc or hear any signal, or other means of warning against danger when approaching the bridge. In my opinion no real protection against accidents existed on or about the bridge at the time of tiie finality, and liiat, as a result, of the want of aiich protection, the fatality occurred. The evidence shows that neither of the gate* were closed when the bridge was opened. The gates erected on the bridge have been allowed t» lull into disrepair by the controlling authority, and a- a moans uf safeguard have been practically ai.andoned by the bridge opener. It io obviously the duty of tne controlling authority to provide and maintain adequate means of protection against accident on the bridge, and the duty ot the bridge opener to take all necessary p recant ions before opening the bridge. Tho bridge opener's explanation is that, yu account of tiie condition of the gates, lie could not close thorn. In view of the fact that it was the duly of the controlling authority to have the said gate,, in (.roper repair, 1 cannot find the bridge opoivr blanieable in the circumstances, ii.it I find ho acted negligently in opening the bridge on that or any other ocr-asion without first of all taking some effective stops to close and secure the gates, and in failing to insist upon their immediate repair." The coroner added the following rider: "I strongly recommend that a substantial harrier or iron gate be fixed at both ends of the bridge, and that a red light he attached thereto at night time, also that a danger notice board drawing attention to the swing bridge be erected on the approaches to the bridge."