MOTOR LORRY GOES OVER BANK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3034, 11 May 1926, Page 2

MOTOR LORRY GOES OVER BANK.

FOOTBALLERS’ MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. While returning from Tokomaru on Saturday evening Mr. A. Walls’ motor lorry, conveying the local Juniors home after their match with Tokomaru Juniors, met with an accident on the Koputaroa road. After leaving the Ihakara creamery, the road curves between the high cutting of the foothills and is particularly narrow. Atter negotiating one of the bends, the lorry ran too near the side of the road, which gave way, and precipitated the vehicle down a steep bank. Fortunately no one was injured. The top of the lorry was smashed in and the front left hand wheel was shattered. The conveyance was raised yesterday and brought in to Foxton under it own power. On news of the accident reaching Foxton on Saturday evening Messrs. S. Austin, A. E. Tongs, and E. Bryant immediately left for the scene of the mishap and brought the stranded players into Foxton, reaching here about 10 p.m. In conversation with Mr. A. Walls, driver of the lorry, our representative was informed that the vehicle was carrying 18 passengers, besides the driver at the time of the mishap. The engine was slowed down to negotiate the bend and as a result the lights dimmed. The night was particularly dark and the road being narrow, with a steep camber, the lorry went over to the side and had one wheel over the edge of the road before the lights brightened up. Immediately he realised his position Mr. Walls applied the brakes and called out to the passengers to “look out. The brakes held the vehicle for a second or so and it then toppled over, turning a complete somersault and landing on its wheels at the bottom of the bank. The occupants with the exception of two, one of whom jumped from the vehicle before it fell and the other atlio was thrown out half way down, were carried to the bottom where they scrambled out little the worse for their experience, but consideably shaken. It is little shoit of a mircale that no one was hurt. The Awahou Juniors returning from Miranui via Koputaroa road also met with a slight mishap in Mr. Murphy’s taxi. The car slipped over a bank and slightly damaged the hood and mudguards. It was able to regain the road however and proceed home.