LEG BROKEN IN MOUNTAINS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25061, 18 December 1946, Page 8

LEG BROKEN IN MOUNTAINS

AIRCRAFT SENT TO ASSISTANCE

MAN MAY BE BROUGHT TO HOSPITAL TO-DAY

If the weather is suitable to-day Mr C. G. Fantham. assistant pilot instructor to the Canterbury Aero Club, will fly the club’s Whitney Straight to Ada station, 32 miles into the mountains from Hanmer Springs, and land on a river flat to bring to Christchurch a man who broke a leg on Monday. The club sent an aeroplane, a Tiger Moth, with Mr Fantham and Dr. J. Cochrane, to the man’s assistance yesterday morning, after the president of the club (Mr H. D. Christie) had received an emergency call shortly after 4 o’clock. The man. whose name is Ridden, had his leg set and put in splints by Dr. Cochrane. The aeroplane left Harewood at 8.30 a.m. yesterday, and took an hour and a quarter on the outward journey. It arrived back at the aerodrome at 12.30 p.m., after one hour and five minutes on the journey. The pilot had a tricky task to land and take off again in*the limited space available, but accomplished this without When Ridden first broke his leg his companion realised that he could not return over the rough tracks to the St. James station, 25 miles away, so he rode away to secure assistance. From the station, a telephone call was made to Mr W. S. Newburgh, of Christchurch, a trustee for the Stevenson estate, by which the station is owned. Mr Newburgh tried to secure the assistance of the Air Force, but wag unsuccessful. He then appealed to Mr Christie.

It was originally intended that the club send an aircraft to bring the injured man out; but as the Dragonfly aircraft which the club owns, and which may be ’ converted for ambulance work, was employed elsewhere, and in any case requires a large landing area, greater than that afforded on river flats, this course was not followed. This was the first call the club had received for assistance since it resumed-’ flying last year, said the secretary (Mr P. R. Climie). Such assistance was part of the club’s work, which emphasised the value of its activities to the public. A St. John Ambulance will stand by at the Harewood aerodrome at 10.30 a.m. to-day to take the injured man to hospital. MAN’S HAND CRUSHED Gavin Common, a young man employed by the Railways Department, of 29 Andover street, was admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital last evening at 11.25 with injuries to the fingers of one hand. He crushed his hand between two trucks while shunting was in progress at the railway yards. •