"OVER THE TOP "

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 264, 4 August 1919, Page 8

"OVER THE TOP "

MILK WAGON TURNS TURTLE

ON PAEKAjfARIKI HILL

SAVED BY A TELEGRAPH POLE

Another and quite an extraordinary motor accident was added to the long list of mishaps associated with the Paekakariki Hill lata on Saturday afternoon. One of tho Municipal Alilk Department's big five-ton ■ motor-wagons, laden with cement, general building material, and empty milk cans, was proceeding up tho Pnekakariki Hill at about i p.m. on Saturday, bound to Otaki, when the outer edge of the narrow road, softened by the continuous rains of the past fortnight, gave way, with the result that the hugo wagon rolled completely over sideways. As oy a miracle, just at tho point where the wagon left tho road was a firmly-stepped square ironbark telegraph pole, and it was against this pole that the full weight of the big wagon fell some six or seven feet, down a steep bank. Fortunately the pole, although it was carried from the perpendicular, held firm, and on it the weight.of the wagon, upside down, now rests. Though the post tlhat took the shock did not snap, tho next three posts were pulled clean out of tho ground, and with them wont the wires which give Wellington telegraphic communication with tho west coast. News of the mishap was communicated to the Telegraph authorities here on Saturday evening, and yesterday a gang of men were "engaged repairing, the damaged lines. In the meantime communication had to bo made via the Wairarapa. / Mr. C. B. Norwood (chairman of the Milk Committee) motored out to the scene of the accident yesterday, and on his return was seen by a Dominion reporter. Whilst the accident was unfortunate as far as the milk business was concerned, he stated that the escape of those on tho wagon was little. 6hort of miraculous. The driver was a municipal employee named Lucas, who had with him an assistant and a boy. The latter was thrown out of the Wagon altogether, and pulled up in tho stream that flowed noisily some fifteen or sixteen feet below the level of tho road. The other two were thrown up against the hood or cab. and scrambled out quite uninjured when tho wagon came to rest on the telegraph pole. Mr. Norwood was of the opinion that if the polo had not been there the men would have been carried in tho wagon to the bed of the stream below, and probabjy pulverised by the weight of the wagon and its contents.

Mr. Norwood says that the cement and building material wero the property of the City Council.' and were to have been used in connection with the extension of the Rohui Factory at Otaki. It was being -taken out by motor-lorry owing to restrictions on the railway against the carriage of such goods. The wagon weighed fire tons, and there wonld bo between two and three tons of cement and other Roods, making approximately eight tons weight in all. Some twenty bags of cement rolled ont and into the stream as the wagon lurohed over, and are lost. It is possible that the rest may also be lost if tbe v rain and the damp get to them, or per■haps it may follow the other bags when the wagon ,is lifted. "I had a look at the road," said Mr. Norwood, "and saw that the outer wheels of the wagon were running along at about twelve inches from the edge of the road, and it looked quite safe, but the heavy Tains had soaked it thoroughly, and made it insecure for such a weight. It will be a very difficult job to get the wagon back on to the road, as in that part of the road there is nothing, on which to get ft purchase. I suppose a 6trongly-stayed derrick will have to be rigged to lift the wagon clean on to tfie road. The vehicle itself does not appear to be injured in any way, and I should not bo surprised to see it run away as though nothing had happened, once we get it on to the road." "It only serves to emphasise the difficulties wo are besot with in getting the Sunday milk to town," 6aid Mr. Norwood. "We. know the risk and the dangers of the roads we have to uso to bring the milk in for the city every week-end—had roads and crazy bridges— which keeps one worrying- •as to what is going to occur next. Only a few weeks ago one of our lorries went over the road in the Ngahuranga Gorge, and we wero 'lucky in getting it back without any serious trouble, and we have also had our difficulties on the Rimutaka road. That is why. at the recent conference, I urged that something should be done to improve theso roads at once. When the public realises that it is directly' important to the life and health of the community then some force will be exerted to make those roads—the. (-force road, tho road over the Paekakariki Hill, and the one of the Rimutaka—at least safe for traffic." The Post and Telegraph Department's officials have the fullest faith in ironbark poles. There is no instance- on record of one havinc broken. They may be shifted from the perpendicular or nulled clean ont of the ground, but thoy do not break, and in that i* their wonderful virtue. In this lease tho ironbork pole which took (he shock was carried outward over the Gorge to. the horizontal, where it lies (carrying about seven'tons weight) levered . against tho earth, yet snch was the shock conveyed by the wires thnt thTee other poles were, ierked clean out of the ground. Tt is to the credit of the Departments linesmen that they were on the job at daylight yesterday, and communication was restored with Wellington by the afternoon.