COLLAPSE OF A BRIDGE

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14263, 14 January 1920, Page 5

COLLAPSE OF A BRIDGE

UNDER A MOB OF CATTLE. A DROVER DROWNED. ATTEMPTING TO SAVE A BEAST. (By Telecrraph.—Press Association.) CARTERTON, Wednesday. While a drover named Johnson was driving stock over a bridge across the Ruamahunga river at Tuhitarata the structure collapsed, and Johnson was drowned. The police are now searching for the body. WELLINGTON, Wednesday Further details of the Kahutara fatality show that three men, Taylor, Sales, and Johnson were in charge of a mob to f cattle when the bridge collapsed and 30 fell through. All but one got back to the river bank, the remaining one being entangled in the bridge wreckage which floated down the stream. Johnson, with the idea of saving the animal, stripped and swam to the spot intending to make the wreckage fast to some willows. Finding that Ife could not do this, he started to return to the shore and then it is believed he must have seen some ladies who were there and turned back for the other side of the river. The distance was too great and Johnson, who was a good swimmer, became exhausted and sank. He was a returned soldier.

The above recalls a similar occurrence on December 20, 191 G, when the bridge across the Waipa river at Ngaruawahia collapsed under a mob of cattle, a number of which were drowned. So far this bridge has not been replaced.