Picnic Party Falls Forty Feet

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 231, 19 December 1927, Page 13

Picnic Party Falls Forty Feet

ONE MAN KILLED STEERING GEAR FAILS Press Association. TE KUITL To-day. | As a result of a tie-pin becoming detached, the steering rod of a lorry carrying a picnic party of parents aud children, totalling 2S, went over a bank near Awakino on Sunday morning and fell 40 feet. Max Bredenbeek, son of Mr. F. Bredenbeck, driver and owner of the lorry, died in hospital this morning. Gordon Weir, aged S years, residing at Arapae, is also in hospital with injured ribs, and suffering from shock. Others also received minor injuries. The lorry escaped being hurled into the Awakino River through being caught on a protruding bank. Further particulars show that the lorry suddenly got out of control about half a mile on the north side of Awakino, swerving across the road. It dropped 50 l'eet over a steep bank, and crashed down nose foremost, and, upending, turned a complete somersault. The terrified children, who had hardly realised the nature of the accident, were hurled in all directions, but, remarkably enough, all were cast clear of the lorry as it settled down, amid the screams of those who were hurt. Only one child, the driver’s son, was pinned under the vehicle, being caught by the front part of the hot radiator. Three children were seriously hurt, one dying later, and all the others suffered from shock and minor injuries. Those badly injured were: Max Bredenbeck, aged 10 years, broken leg, and extensive burns. He died in the Te Kuiti Hospital this morning. • Gordon Weir, aged eight years, of Arapae. broken ribs and proba.bly internal injuries, besides shock. His sistei\ aged nine years, received a broken collarbone. The accident is attributed to the loss of a nut from the steering gear, which failed to respond to the wheel. A terrible disaster was averted through the lorry being caught on a protruding bank as it fell, and escaping being hurled into the Awakino River. Two of the injured children were removed to the Te Kuiti Hospital last night, and one succumbed to his injuries. , The children, all of whom were more or less hurt, showed surprising fortitude, and wonderful courage is reported to have been shown by a 12-year-old, Guide Girl Phyllis Frerich, who made herself a little heroine, and greatly cheered the sufferers.