THE KAI IWI TRAGEDY.

Shannon News, 4 January 1924, Page 4

THE KAI IWI TRAGEDY.

'DETAILS OF THE SAD AFFAIR.

Little did the thousands of picnickers -to Kai..lwi beach on New Year's Day (says the "Herald:'), realise that a a joyful going abroad would mean a sorrowful coming home, and that in the midst of merry-mak-ing a tragedy would happen which those in the vicinity were powerless to avert.

Among the picknickers were Mr Clarence Huinphreys i of Heads Road, his wife and two children. In the forenoon they had gone to the beaclx, and Mr Humphreys with one little girl, ..loan, about four years of age', stepped over to some papa under the cliff. Almost immediately they were overwhelmed by a- fall of clay and papa

Mr Levy, who was an eye-witness of the tragedy, was helpless to give any warning, for it all happened so suddenly. Mrs Humphreys was also standing a few yards away, but,she was looking in another direction. MiLevy at once rushed for assistance, and soon a band of willing-workers, had gathered with spades, shovels, axes and a crowbar. Mr Levy also taking an active part in the work of excavation.

There were few people on th& beacii at the time, but it did not take long for a large crowd to assemble. Others scattered about the grounds were totally oblivious of the accident until after the bodies had been recovered. The volunteer workers had little room to work and in the operation one Wanganui resident had his hand badlv lacerated. They worked like Trojans and after about half an hour, during which several tons of clay ana papa had been removed, the body or Mr Humphreys was extricated. It had been badly battered by the huge weight of papa. Work continued, and about a quarter oT au hour later tne body of the little girl was recovered. Death had been instantaneous in both instances. The operations of recover-

ing and removing the bodies were supervised by Constables Wainhouse

and Rogers, A message was sent to Wanganui for a doctor and the ambulance. Botn Dr Wilson and the driver of the ambulance responded promptly and were on the scene almost as soon as the bodies were recovered. The doctor, unfortunately, could only pronounce life extinct, and the todies were taken to Wanganui by Constable Wainhouse. The tragedy cast a gloom over the gathering, and there were many expressions of the most profound sympathy for the widow so suddenly bereft of her husband and child. The locality where the fall of earth took place can oly be regarded as extrcmelv dangerous. The elements are continually undermining the cliffs and a casual glance is sufficient to show the large quantities-of material that are continually slipping away. No doubt the controlling authorities will now take steps to have warning boards erected in conspicuous places.

The cliff where the fatalities occurred is about 30ft high. There had evidently been some tons overhanging-, and most of the material responsible Lor the two deaths came from the upper portion of the cliff.

Onjv a few minutes before the accident* a vjell-known local resident sa\r two ladies seated under the cliff, and warned them of the danger of a tall of earth. They remarked that tney had been sitting there for some time and there was no apparent danger. The resident was persistent, however, going the length of telling them it was madness to thus court accident. They fortunately shifted.