COACH ACCIDENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 58, 30 October 1880, Page 3

COACH ACCIDENT.

! As the coach left Hawera, on Thursday, it was unusually full, about fourteen passengers being on it, and there were four or five ladies, including Mrs Dymock, of the Brunswick, Mrs and Miss Sutherland (who have recently come to this colony from England, and were on a visit to Hawera) j Mrs Chalmers and two children. As the coach descended the Manawapou hill, it is said that it went at fall speed, the passengers asserting that even the usual precaution of putting the bi'eak on had not been observed. Mr. Brett states that the speed at which the vehicle was going down ihe Catting, caused it to fcili; over ho one side, so that it was only running on two wheels. He drew the driver's attention to the fact, but the latter took no notice. As the coach neared the bridge, Mr. Brett saw that a collision was inevitable, and he prepared to make a spring, but was too late, for at this moment the coach ran with great force against the bridge, and Mr. Brett got thrown against the pillar, where he was jammed by the coach falling over against him, from which position he was not relieved till some of the passengers were got out of the coach, The news of the accident having been brought to Hawera, Mr Owen, htnUlorct of the Itgmonb Hotel, started immedtate2y 'with a baggy; and as Dr. Richards was not in Hawera, he took Mr. Tucker with him. On the way, they met Sergeant Cahill, and he also started with them, to render what assistance he could to the sufferers. Mr. Brett was brought back to Normanby as soon as possible, and was attended to by Dr. Eichards, who found some of the small bones of the chest broken, a cat on the head, and the legs badly torn and bruised. Although the sufferer has been progressing favorably, it is likely to be some time before he will be sufficiently recovered to get about again. Mr. Brett attributes the accident entirely to the inexperience and recklessness of the driver. Mr. C. E. Gibson, of Normanby, who was on the box alongside of Mr. Brett, had one of Ms thumbs severely hurt, and sustained a nasty cut on. the head. One of the passengers was rolled down the bank into the river, receiving a severe gash on the forehead in the descent, and would have been drowned but for the assistance rendered by Messrs. H. Owen and Chalmers. The latter gentleman was also thrown from the top of the coach into the river, but clung on to a snag till he' was rescued by Mr. Owen. The lady passengers and the children, upon whom Xx, Owen first bestowed his attention, were, fortunately, uninjured, but were considerably shaken and frightened, as might very naturally have been expected. When the coach ran against the bridge the kingbolt fell oat The horses then bolted up the hill, and collided with a teamster's waggon that was coming towards Hawera, breaking the shaft of the dray and doing other damage. A trap' was procured from Mr. Young, of Manawapou, to take the passengers on to Carlyle, but the ladies positively refused to enter it. unless Mr. Young drove, as they did not care to trust their lives again to the keeping of "young Jack." Mr. Brett Bpeaks in very high terms of Mr. Hugh Owen's conduct, and of the heroic manner in which he acted after the accident occurred. Considerable surprise has been expressed on all sides that Mr. Young should have kept the driver so long in his- service, considering- the number of complaints that have been inadej from time to time, aa to the reckless way in which he had been in the habit of driving. " The wonder is not that the accidentshould have occurred," mid a gentleman who frequently travels up and down the coast; "it appears almost miraculous that half-a-dozen coaches were not upset by the same driver last season." And we must certainly admit that the gentleman to whom we refer is far from being alone in that opinion : it is the general verdict of the travelling public. Mr. Wanklyn had a narrow escape: he had actually taken his seat on top of the coach, but not feeling very comfortable, he jumped off, and Boon afteTwaxds started in a buggy, getting to the Manawapou shortly after the accident happened. Mr. Owen, not being much hurt, proceeded to Carlyle in Mr. Wanklyn's buggy.

For remainder of Reading Matter,

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