BRAVE WIFE'S FEAT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 42, 17 August 1935, Page 19

BRAVE WIFE'S FEAT

AID FOR HER HUSBAND

Difficulties which would have daunted many men were overcome by Mrs. Mary Holihan, of Rangitotb Island, on Monday, in providing her husband, Mr. R. A. Holihan, aged 39, with means to reach-hospital after an accident,, states the "New Zealand Herald." While her daughter was securing assistance, she unscrewed'a door for use as'a.strecher, and later with a.companion put out from the- island ■■ in a dinghy to seek help. — ..... .

Mr. Hdlihan, who is caretaker of the Auckland Harbour Board's quarry on Rangitotq- Island,' was cutting some limbs'fr.Qmaßoh'utukawa tree near his house at-about-11.30 on Monday morning, when he fell some 20ft to the ground, injuring his back. He landed in a narrow space between two jagged rocks, a fall oh either, of which would probably have proved fatal. Mrs. Holihan, who ..was attracted by a cry from her,husband, found him practically un.conscious. She did not dare to.move him into the house .unaided, as ,she feared some bones were broken. She sent her 10-year-old daughter to' seek some other residents of the island and rendered what assistance she could to her husband.

It was an hour and a y half before help could be obtained, and meantime Mrs. Holihan had unscrewed a° door to act as a stretcher. She has been in the habit until recently of making visits to Auckland fortnightly or monthly in a 12-foot dinghy with an outboard motor, and she recently acquired , a 26.-foot launch for the purpose, so that the trip to Auckland would have presented no difficulties to her under normal circumstances. When she attempted to start the engine of the vessel, however, lan irreplaceable part of the mechanism broke, putting the engine out of commission. Undeterred by this disaster, Mrs. Holihan and one of the men who had come to assist her husband, put out in a dinghy in the hope of intercepting a vessel passing between Rangitoto arid Brown's Island. A white, cloth was waved to attract attention. •'■-.' :

After some time the fishing-launch Tiri was diverted from its course. The

master agreed to take Mr. Holihan on board, and he was taken to the launch from his house on the improvised stretcher. . :'.'■..■ Shortly after, the launch Nora was encountered coming ; from Auckland and it was decided to.transfer the injured man to that vessel.' This was accomplished in fairly sheltered water near St. Heliers, and the launch proceeded to the city. Mr. Holihan, who had been in considerable pain ever since his fall, was taken from the launch steps to the Auckland Hospital in an ambulance. He arrived there over six hours after the accident. His condition was considered to be not serious.