A TRAGIC END.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20287, 21 December 1927, Page 10

A TRAGIC END.

COUNTY ENGINEER’S DEATH

(Pee United Phess .issociation.' GISBORNE, December 20,

The death occurred this afternoon under tragic circumstances of Mr John James Keane, engineer to the Cook County Council. In July last a cloudburst enveloped Waimata Valley, some 14 miles from Gisborne, and amongst other damage washed away a bridge. This bridge was replaced a few weeks ago by a temporary low-level structure. In the course of road inspection work to-dav Mr Keane had to cross this now bridge. A member of the County Council, Mr J. Tombleson, was about to cross the bridge this afternoon, when be noticed Mr Keane’s car balanced on the side of the bridge with the front and rear left wheels hanging over the water and the left-hand door open and the engine still running. Mr Keane’s hat was seen in the water, and a few minutes later his body was recovered lying in four feet of water. Mr Keane had lately been in ill-health, and on more than on e occasion recently he had had a seizure, one seizure occurring at a recent meeting of the County Council, when Mr Keane was immediately granted leave to recuperate. It is believed that he had another seizure near, or on the bridge, to-day, and fell through the door of the car into the river.

The deceased, who was 51 years of age, was one of the most highly-respected men in (he district, and was popular with all classes of the community. He had been county engineer for nearly 20 years. H, leaves a widow and a family of two children.