OKURU NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1927, Page 1

OKURU NOTES

(From a correspondent.) A very painful accident happened at Okuru on Sunday, Oct. 2nd. when three children were thrown violently from a bolting horse and were shockingly bruised and injured. One little boy, aged six years, sustained ii broken arm and was taken on to Hokitika for medical treatment. The trip from Hanst to Hokitika was accomplished in 26}-. hours (record time). 'Hie little patient was conveyed from Okuru to the Hanst on Sunday evening in the one-wheeled ambulance stretcher, lately supplied by the Hospital Board and was pronounced an immense success. Next morning, having somewhat recovered from the shock received, the boy was taken on horse hack (at a walking pace only) some 55 miles to Bruce Bay beach where the party were met by Toolioy’s Motors Ltd at 10 o’clock that evening, and conveyed on to Hokitika, arriving at 5.30 o’clock on Tuesday morning. Those treacherous streams, the Karangnrua and Cook’s rivers, with their rough boulder-bot-toms, and without a single guiding polo or mark of any description, were negotiated in the dead of night with amazing accuracy, and without th slightest hitch ; reflecting great credit on the efficiency of this pioneer motor service which has lately penetrate far beyond “the accustomed track,” and lias liccn a boon in cases of distress.

The little sufferer was attended to by Drs Baird and Teichelman, and is now quite comfortable. AA'e also learn that the other two children were progressing favourably.

The necessity of n medical man being stationed in South Westland is only brought homo to us on occasions like these, when a patient has to be convoyed some 200 miles for medical treatment. Tt seems a pity, even a shame, that those hardy pioneer-set-tlers who are keeping the flag of habitation flying in the far south do not receive more assistance by way of removing their isolation. A splendid fertile country, with vast areas of suitable dairying land and thousands of acres of virgin forest, containing quantities of valuable milling timber, awaits development which can only he accomplished by way of either a port or a road constructed at .Jackson’s Bay. or a motor service road traversing mo far South and eventually linking up Otago by way of the Haast Pass.