TWELVE INJURED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26917, 1 November 1948, Page 6

TWELVE INJURED

HEAD-ON COLLISION REMARKABLE ESCAPE • p.A. - GISBORNE. Oct. 31. Twelve persons were injured, four fairly seriously', in a head-on collision between a school bus and a private car on a bend near Whangara, on the East Coast road, late on Saturday afternoon. The bus, which was driven by Mr W. J. Walsh, with 17 passengers—s adults and 12 school children—was returning to Tolaga Bay from the Gisborne show, and the car, a coupe which was driven - by Mr O. G James, garage proprietor, of Tolaga Bay, and contained four H..stings visitors, was returning to Gisborne from Tolaga Bay. The car was practically wrecked by the impact, the bus riding up on top of the coupe, which was stove in right to the dashboard. The ; car passengers had a miraculous escape. All the seats in the bus collapsed, and the passengers were flung pell-mell, though the majority escaped with minor cuts, abrasions and shock. , First aid was rendered* on the spot by a,Tolaga Bay chemist, Mr J. Gardiner, ’.ho reached the scene within a few minutes after the crash. The injured were moved to the Whangara Hotel, which resembled a casualty clearing station. Considerable delay was experienced in summoning a doctor owing to the hotel being without a telephone, and a half-mile trip was involved to phone for medical aid. The injured who are in hospital are: Leslie Walter Lange, of Hastings; Ruby Waiwai and Helen Graham, school girls; and Mr Newton H. Wilson, of Tolaga Bay. The condition of all is described by the hospital as comfortable. The others, who suffered minor injuries, cuts and shock, are: Leonard E Baker, of Hastings; Norman Lawrence, Grace Haere, Phyllis Kearney, Mary Teniha. and Andrew J. Graham, all of Tolaga Bay. The car driver, Mr James, suffered minor cuts on the arm. Messrs Bruce H Thomson and Joseph Howard, of Hastings, were discharged from hospital to-day