CHILD'S NARROW ESCAPE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 63, 7 December 1937, Page 4

CHILD'S NARROW ESCAPE

Dragged Along at Back of Baker's Van

OBSERVER'S PR0MPT ACTIOfi

• Only tbe fortunate circumstance of someone seeing her plight and acting promptly saved a little girl named Maureen Goldsmith, "aged, about three, of Konini street, from being badly injured last evening. Mr. Sam Graham, who happened to be standing outside his store in Frederick street, was attracted by a child's screams as^ a baker's delivery van was gathering speed past his shop, and he was .horrified to see a child chbging to the back bumper of the van and being dragged along the ground. The driver fortunately heard his warning shout to stop and pulled up quickly and Mr. Graham rushed over and rescued the child who, probably through sheer fright, was still clinging desperately to the bumper bar« It appears that the child was actually at the back door of her house when the baker delivered (the bread, but must have followed him out and caught hold of the bar jnst when he'was about to start. She must have been 'dragged over rough single for 30 yards or so and it is surprising that she was noij flung off when the van turned intq Frederick Btreet. Having straightened up, the van gathered speed and would, except for Mr. Graham' s prompt action, have carried the child along until she was forced to let g,o and qrash to the ground. As it was, she received severe abrasions to her ankles and legs. It is a strange coincidence that,shortly afterwards, another child who was playing on the street, darted outi from the footpath within a few yards of the same spot, and narrowly missed being hit by a passing motorist.