DRAGGED BY HORSES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 67, 21 March 1938, Page 6

DRAGGED BY HORSES

FARM HAND’S PLIGHT CHAINED TO BOLTING TEAM HAMILTON, March 15. With an iron chain twisted around his ankle, a farm hand, Mr lan Melville, aged 28, employed on the farm of Mr Hallyburton Johnstone, at Whatawhata, was dragged by a team of three horses for about a quarter of a mile over hilly country thii afternoon. Only Mr Melville's persistency in striving to grasp the reins k and regain control of the bolting horses saved him from more serious injury. Accompanied by a Maori employee, Mr Melville was working in paddocks some distance from the homestead, carting manure on a sledge drawn by the three horses. When the load had been distributed, the lightened sledge became out of control on a fairly steep grade and its course was diverted uphill by the Maori. This resulted in the long plough chains becoming unhooked from the swinglet rees. The frightened team bolted, and when the horses charged down on Mr Melville, one of the chains whipped around his legs. Over rough and steej country the horses dragged him until his repeated efforts to grasp the train, ing reins were successful and he wa? able to pull in the team and release himself. Mr Melville was found to be suffering from severe lacerations of a leg and extensive abrasions to the chest, lie was removed to the Waikato Hospital in a St. John Ambulance, and hi« condition to-night was reported to be not serious.