Untitled

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18958, 2 January 1930, Page 11

A case of extreme foolishness that nearly ended in tragedy occtirred on Mount Messenger a few days ago, when two motor-cycle riders, northward bound, attempted to climb the mountain on top gear (says the Taranaki ‘Daily News.” To do this it was necessary to maintain a speed of approxi mately twenty miles an hour, which was not only a menace to other traffic on the road but, as experience showed, was nearly fatal to one of the riders and a pillion passenger behind him. One of the sharpest bends in the road proved too sharp for the machine on which these two were riding to negotiate, and over the cliff went motor-cycle and both riders. The lives of the latter were saved almost by a miracle. Instead of dropping the hundred feet or so into the gorge, the two men and. the machine were caught by a jutting tree about 15 or 20 feet below the road, and escaped practically unharmed. So near however, was one of the men to being impaled on a brougen bough pointing up into the air that as he fell it actually passed inside the bottom of his waistcoat, up between waistcoat and shirt, and out at the top past the side of the head, without causing any injury. A New Plymouth resident who arrived on the scene a few moments after the motor-cycle went over the cliff is able to testify to the accuracy of, the facts as outlined.