COACH OVERTURNED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1326, 2 January 1912, Page 6

COACH OVERTURNED.

SEVEN INJURED.

ON THE WEST COAST ROAD. "' DANGEROUS .CORHBB. (By Tclcßranh T PreES Association.) • Christchurch, January 1. .-' A disastrous cg:ich accident'occurred at •1.21) tin's afternoon at; Paddy's Bend, two miles beyond the Cass.' Seven people were injured, most of them seriously. Thev are.:— • Archibald Xeil. of Westport. Bruises on head and shoulders and sprained ankle. .Mrs. Neil, of Weslporl,. Injuries to back. (.<■ \V. Birley. of Christchurch. Injuries •to bock and chest; shoulder dislocated. -Mrs. Birley, of Christchurch. Chest injured. Tat. Burke, of Brunner. Two fingers' crushed and ribs injured. Mrs. Hopgood, of Paroa, Hokitika. Injuries to back and chest. John Hamblcton, 'of Dunedin. Scalp wound. The coacli.'which belonged to the Movnihau' Lino was proceeding with several passengers to the Cass railway station to catch the evening train for Christchurch. .There were on board'fourteen neonle, in-' eluding, two infants'. Half of thcui were injured, and the others had a. miraculous escape. At Paddy's Bend, a.' dangerous corner with a down-hill road, a Irac'o snapped, and (he horses galloped, and in a moment' the conveyance had pitched over the bank and dropped thirty feet down to a rock-slrewu stream below. Tho coach was smashed to' piece's. Some of the passengers- on -tho box seat jumped clear, but thoso inside woro carried dow.u. The horses baited, drugging ouo o~' number, who had fallen .behind them, and afterwards had to .be shot. Fortunately, other, conches wore close at hand, and tho injured were given first aid, and conveyed to ■ CainpbcllV refreshment rooms, at tho Cass; where Constable M'Holm and Mr.'Guinness, the stationmaster, did a lot of.useful work. Several of the passengers, seen by a reporter, also spoke in strong terms of praise of the efforts of Mr. A. R. Blank, who, right from the jump, took the leading hand in assisting, the -sufferers,; and-con-tinued in this direction right lip to the time, of their reaching Christchurch'. The Christchurch train.was delayed a couple of hours'attho Cass, and'the injured were conveyed to Christchurch, three of them in stretchers in the guard's van. .. At Darfield, Dr. Walter Thomas, of Christchurch, boarded the train and rendered relief. .In the meantime the hospital authorities, had- been communicated with, andwhen the train arrived at Addington,' shortly before 10 o'clock, tho ambulance was present, and .the injured were conveyed to ; tli'o i Christchurch- Hospital. Though their injuries are serious, it is not anticipated that they will 'be fatal.