TRAGIC INCIDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21137, 21 March 1932, Page 9

TRAGIC INCIDENTS.

LOBBY KILLS ONE MAN. THREE OTHERS DROP DEAD. MANY CASES OF COLLAPSE. KINGSFORD SMITH'S MISHAP. By Telegraph—Presß Association—Copyright. (Received March 'JO. 5. •"> p.m.) SYDNEY. Mnrch '2O. At least, four deaths were directly due to tlio bridge carnival yesterday. One man was killed by a, tnofor-lorry during the procession and three people suffered heart seizures in the, crowded streets, all ending fatally.

People, chiefly women and girls, fainted in the dense crowds under the blazing sun in exposed positions at an alarming rate. At least 2500 cases were treated l\v ambulance men in the forenoon in the city area.

Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith was dogged by misfortune. While ho was landing with 12 passengers at Mascot late last, night, he, crashed from a low altitude and one wheel of the machine was broken. The aeroplane settled on its side, badly damaged, but the passengers suffered nothing worse than a bad scare. -Mr. Smith was not hurt. CONSTRUCTION TOLL.

TWELVE WORKERS KILLED. COST NEARLY £10,000,000. (Received March '2O, 11.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 20. Twelve workmen lost their lives during the. construction of the harbour bridge. The cost of the work was nearly £10,000,000, including the approaches, viaducts and land resumptions. MB. WILLIS' STORY. INCREDULITY IN LONDON. ALLEGED THREAT TO LANG. LONDON. March IS.

Morning and evening newspapers give prominence to the story told by Mr. A. C. Willis, Agent General for New South Wales, concerning a secret meeting of British members of Parliament, and others interested in .Australia, at which the statement was said tu have been made, that a plot had been formed in Sydney by opponents of the State Premier to seize Mr. Lang and throw him into the river prior to the opening of the Sydney bridge. The Daily Telegraph's political correspondent said members of all parties are incredulous concerning the story. Tho correspondent says he has made caieful inquiries in every quarter and cannot find the slightest trace of such a gathering.

" Had a plot against Mr. Lang become known," the writer proceeds, members of Parliament would not have preserved silence. Moreover, the idea can be dismissed that any body of outside persons could have held a meeting at St. Stephen's. There are several Australians at present in Parliament, and they regard as fantastic the idea that a gathering was summoned to discuss tho opening of tho Sydney harbour bridge." ACCOUNT BY RADIO. RECEPTION IN AUCKLAND. DESCRIPTION OF THE DAY. The entire ceremony at the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was broadcast from the New South Wales capital on Saturday and relayed to Auckland listeners. The speakers mentioned were the State Governor, Sir Philip Came, tho Premier, Mr. Lang, the Minister of Works (whose speech was interrupted by a mounted officer cutting the ribbon at the bridge entrance with a sword), the Lord Mayor of Sydney; the Parliamentary Representative of the district in which the bridge is situated ; the vifce-chairman of Dorman, Long and Company, Limited, constructors of the bridge; and Mr. L. Innis, superintendent of construction.

Tho announcer next stated that the last pair in the relay race with a message to Mr. Lang from away inland in the heart of New South Wales were coining up to Brad field Highway. The race started on March 11, boys and girls taking part, in

it. The last, pair were a boy and girl aged about 12 years.

The message was carried by school children on foot, on bicycle, on pony and motorcar in its long journey to the capital. It was then read and Mr. Lang leplied.

Later an announcer stationed near Urn Post Office in .Martin I'lacc said that, part of the city w/is a. mass of people. He wont on to describe the procession.

that was passing. A mass of .school children headed by a school hand with a quaint little drummajor only 12 years of age, was described.

'The boy who rode 6UO miles on his pony was in the, procession, and he had a great reception. Then followed a hand of aboriginals, and all the historical " floats."