THE BIG WANGANUI RIVER FATALITY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1399, 27 March 1912, Page 5

THE BIG WANGANUI RIVER FATALITY.

A DANGEROUS STBEAM,

I (By Teltffraph.-SpeciaJ Correspondent.) Hokitika, March 2G. Despite the continued efforts of manv willing soarcheTs no'trace of the body of Miss Lock has been found. The young lady was drowned with her brother (the Rev. John Lock) of Ross, while endeavouring to ford the Dig Wanganui River in South Wostiaml on February 13. Those who have had occasion to visit Ine West Coast aro well acquainted with the treacherous nature of the various rivers, and when drowning fatalities aro reported are prone lo look upon tho eatastrophies as being unavoidable, but tho ca.ie. of the Dig Wanganui River fatality, where the Rev. J. Lock and his sister lost their lives, serves to emphasise, ■as has been emphasised again and again, the blundering and unbusinesslike methods of tho Ward Administration. Over tho Dig Wanganui River a bridge has been erected, and the structure has been out of the contractors' hands for over six. months, but, despite the dangerous nature of tho river and the fact that the only means of communication between Hokitika and the southern settlers lies across it. the Public Works Department has allowed the bridge to stand idle for tho lack of proper approaches. Hod the approaches been constructed simultaneously with the bridge and even six mouths after, the Rev. Mr' Lock and Miss Lock would not have lost their lives, because they would have bc«n able lo cross the river bv means of the bridge instead of risking' their lives as travellers and settlers ore doing every day by having to ford a very shifty anil swift-flowing river. On February 22 a tender was accepted for the construction of the south approach, but so far the approaches have not been completed and the Big; Wanganui Bridge, costing a fairlv large sum, stands useless.