SUDDEN FALL
COLLAPSE OF BRIDGE —— OPENING CEREMONY ' ELDERLY MAN INJURED MAORIS' LUCKY ESCAPE [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE KUITI, Friday When a bridge collapsed at Wairere during the opening ceremony yesterday Mr. F. Kearns, aged about 75 years, received a broken thigh and is now a patient at the Te Kuiti Hospital. Mr. Kearns, who is widely known throughout the King Country, had been in charge of the building.of this bridge, which spanned the Mokau River to Wetere's property. After the bridge had been completed Mr. Kearns and the Maoris who had been engaged in the work decided to hold an opening ceremony. A car was stopped when it was half-way across the structure and the Maoris and Mr. Kearns grouped themselves round it while a photograph was taken. Mr. Kearns took a seat on the bumper of the car. Just as the photograph was being taken the structure collapsed without any warning, the bridge, Maoris and car falling into the stream. The Maoris managed to scramble clear, out Mr. Kearns was injured. The car was partly immersed in the water. The doctor who attended Mr. Kearns had to cross the river by tl» old cage method.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23009, 9 April 1938, Page 14
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197SUDDEN FALL New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23009, 9 April 1938, Page 14
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