A SERIOUS COACH ACCIDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 28

A SERIOUS COACH ACCIDENT.

A WONDERFUL ESCAPE. Reefton, July 19. A terrible accident occurred to Mitchell's mail coach on Tuesday evening five miles above Lyell. The coach arrived at Lyell with a full complement of passengers, and was in charge of Teddy Jones, a well-known and careful driver. Several passengers were left at Lyell. The placfi where the accident happened was narrowed by two small slips, giving very little room, and approached by a sharp declivity and turn. The fore wheels cleared the edge of the road, but the hind-wheels, carrying the weight, took away a portion and went over, tilting that portion of the coach clear of the fore-carriage. The driver, holding the reins, was. carried over the footboard among the horses. All the passengers, including Mr and Mrs Mitchell and infant, descended a distance of 200, ft to the Buller river, where the balance of the coach was pulled np by the shelving rocks. The escape from instant death of all the occupants was miraculous, and the scrub undoubtedly was the means of effecting it. Had the four horses gone over with the coach nothing would have saved them.

Those in the coach besides the driver were : — Mr and Mrs Mitchell (and child), Grace M'lnroe, Messrs Burley (and two spns), Glennie, Cummins, and Dixon. Those injured were : — Mrs Mitchell, fracture of the leg and injury to the spine ; Mr Naylis Dixon, dislocated shoulder and severe scalp wounds; Mr Thop. Glennie, dislocated hip and knee ; Mr Mitchell, terribly disfigured ; Mr Cummins, slight injuries. The remainder of the passengers Mr Burley (and two sons), Grace M'lnroe, .and Mr Mitchell's child did not receive a scratch.

There can be no doubt that this road is in a fearfully dangerous state, there being several places within half a mile of the accident where on both sides the result of this catastrophe would have proved fatal to everyone in the coach. The mail contractor gave notice to the Government three weeks 'ago of the discontinuance of running the mail coach unless the read were made safe. Unless the Government takes the matter in hand of attending to the upkeep of this road there will occur other serious mishaps, or traffic will require to cease. Within the last six months the mail contractor has lost two coaches and four horses owing to tho bad state of the road. '"

Dr Gaze was telegraphed for at 10 o'clock, and arrived from Westporfc at 11 the following morning. He is now in attendance on the suffeWs. All the injured have been removed to Lyell, where they are being attended to by Dr Gaze, of Westport. The coach is now at the bottom of the cliff, on the river beach, and but- little damaged. Dr Gaze reports hopefully on the case of Mrs Mitchell, who was most injured. The escape of the passengers from instant death is regarded as wonderful.