A COLLISION

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1930, Page 8

A COLLISION

CARS CRASH INTO CROWDED BUS. ROTORUA, March 2. A collision between a heavy-laden bus and a motor car occurred at 10.last night on Whakarewarewa Road. The bus was returning from the pictures at Rotorua to Whnka. Everyseat was occupied. When a car, steering erratically was seen approaching, the occupants of the bus became greatly alarmed. The driver of the bus, D. ivfacfarlane, kept his course, and the car driving fast struck the bus almost end on. slightly on the near side. The impact was terrific. The bus chassis, a heavy International was buckled. The dumb iron was driven in, and the springs and ironwork were smashed. The seats were torn from the floor and the passengers were hurled on top of one another. A Maori, anticipating the collision, wrapped a baby in a rug, bending over it to protect it. Other passengers were thrown on him, and he ; fainted, but the baby was discovered to be uninjured. A girl who was sitting near, the door was hurled out on to the grass on the roadside unconscious. She recovered. The four front windows of the bus were smashed. A few cuts resulted from the splinters, and bruises from the overturning of the seats. These, however, were the sole injuries to the occupants. Praise is given to the conduct of the driver, who, by keeping his head saved a terrible disaster. The motor car was a new model Ford Tourer. It was owned and driven by George C'urrin, of Matata, who was taken to the hospital. He was much cut and bruised. The car was wrecked. The impact locked the two chassis, and the vehicles had to be pulled apart. The town was crowded owing to Wirth’s Circus, and there was much traffic about. The crash was heard for a great distance, bringing a big crowd of spectators, who remained after midnight.