LONG ORDEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22950, 31 January 1938, Page 12

LONG ORDEAL

injubed swimmer TWO HOURS TO AMBULANCE MAN WITH FRACTURED SPINE ROCK STRUCK ' WHEN DIVING A serious accident to .1 swimmer, and subsequently a long and difficult trek with the critically injured man to an awaiting St. John ambulance, terminated a picnic party near the Purcwa Stream, which flows into Hobson Bay, 011 Saturday afternoon.

A fracture of the spine and severe internal and head injuries were suffered 'by Herbert Olsen, aged 19, married, telegraph linesman, of 4 Keith Avenue, Remuera, when he dived into the Purcwa Stream, and struck a rock. The accident was seen by several of his Companions', who brought tho injured man to tho embankment. They then notified a near by resident, Mr. Cecil A. ■ Whitney, of 43 Victoria Road, Remuera, who rang for the ambulance, Tho nearest point to which tho ambulance could proceed was over a mile away, at the bridge at the foot of Orakei Road. After the stretcher bearers had. followed a long and devious route through the Orakei Basin and along the railway line for some distance, tho injured man was attended. Then followed an arduous journey back to the ambulance.

This took nearly two hours, as the injured man was in such a serious condition that every care had to be taken by the stretcher bearers. Tho necessity of climbing and descending numerous embankments, getting over fences and crossing streams, added to the party's difficulties. Valuable assistance was rendered by Mr. Whitney.

Mr. Olsen was still in a serious condition last night.

VEHICLE SOMERSAULTS ONE OCCUPANT BADLY HURT ESCAPE OF FIVE OTHERS A motor-car passenger was seriously injured and five other occupants of the vehicle, including two women and a child, had a narrow escape when a motor-car proceeding along the AlbanyRiverhead Road, near Albany, yesterday afternoon, went down a slight embankment and overturned twice. It came to rest on its wheels against a large tree. The injured man wait Mr. Frank Hynes, aged 26, single, of 120 Ponsonby Road, who suffered severe head injuries and concussion. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital, where his condition was still serious at a late hour last night. The driver of the car, Mr. Horace Harnell, who resides with Mr. Hynes, suffered slight head injuries. After treatment he was able to go home. The other occupants of t'he car were Mrs. Thwaites and her daughter; Margaret Hughes, aged six, who resides with Mrs. Thwaites at 120 Ponsonby Road; and a young man, Mr. Douglas Prince, of New Lynn. CYCLE IN COLLISION YOUTH AND GIRL INJURED BOTH IN SERIOUS CONDITION A motor-cyclist and a girl pillion rider were both seriously injured when their machine collided with a motorlorry at the intersection of Pukekolie East Road and the Great South Road, Bombay, just beforo noon on Saturday. The injured are: — Agues Pollock, aged 16, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. Pollock, of 41 Collingwood Street, Ponsonby, fracture of the left thigh. Ivan Hatton, aged 19, factory hand, uf 43 College Hill, Ponsonby, fracture of the left leg. Both wero taken by a St. John ambulance to the Auckland Hospital, where their condition was still serious last night.

MISHAP TO RIDER MOUNT FALLS AT HURDLE While schooling a horse for tho Clovedon show, which is to take place next Saturday, Mr. W. W. Gunson, a son of Sir James and Lady Gunson, of Manurcwa, was thrown and suffered a fracture of one shoulder. Tho horse struck a hurdle and fell on its rider. Mr. Gunson was attended by Dr. G. W. Locke, of Papakurn, after which a St. John ambulance took him to tho Mater Misericordiae Hospital. His condition last night was not serious. COLLAPSE AT WHEEL DEATH OF MOTOR IST Becoming suddenly ill while driving his motor-car along tho Great North Road, New Lynn, toward his home at 2 Beckham Place, Grafton, on Satur' day evening, Mr. Harry Walls, aged CO*, pulled to the side of tho road and died a few minutes later. Ho was accompanied by Mrs, Walls. A motorist passing in tho opposite direction, Miss A. Pope, of Takanini, stopped and rendered assistance. She then notified Dr. Graham D. Lindsay, of New North Road, Mount Albert, and tho police. An inquest will be opened to-day before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. ACCIDENT AT ROTORUA TWO YOUTHS IN HOSPITAL [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] ROTORUA, Saturday Two Rotorua youths, Pierre Vaughan and Alfred Ralph, both aged about 20 years, wore injured when the motorcycle which they wero' riding was involved in a collision with a light motor-van driven by Mr. L. T. Woolliams outside the main entrance to the Government Gardens. Both youths were admitted to tho public hospital, Vaughan suffering from concussion and leg injuries and Ralph from a dislocated ankle .and abrasions. Tho motor-cycle was being ridden by Vaughan, with Ralph as a passenger on the pillion seat. The cycle was thrown across to the edge of tho Town Square, but was not greatly damaged. Mr. Woolliams, who was commencing a journey to Maketu, had two passengers in his truck, but neither ho nor his passongers suffered any injury, and his truck was very little damaged.