BRIDGE COLLAPSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 867, 10 January 1930, Page 16

BRIDGE COLLAPSES

DEATH OF BUSHMAN Special to THE SUN TAUMARUNUI, Thursday. The death of George Riley, who was killed when a bridge collapsed as a bush truck carrying Riley was passing over it, formed the subject of an inquest today. Arnold Neil Fergusson said that at 7 a.m. yesterday morning he and Riley loaded a log on a skid, and were returning to the mill at Te Whakare. He was driving and Riley was standing on the end of the truck. When they reached the bridge, about a quarter of a mile from the mill, the bridge collapsed, but he could not say what happened. He was picked up and taken to his hut. Witness had driven heavier loads across the bridge and considered it safe. Dr. W. Fisher said he was present when deceased was extricated, and he examined the body. Deceased was lying in water. His injuries were sufficient to cause death, but death was actually due to shock and suffocation by drowning. Hibernicus Travers Smyth, sawmiller, said the bridge was a trestle bridge. It was about 26ft above the gully. He had no doubt about its safety. In order to stop swaying, which witness had noticed when heavy loads were taken over it, he intended to put struts under the bridge. He had never been to the bot- i tom of the bridge to examine it. The bridge was built about four years ago. Sergeant Dunford said he had no further evidence to produce at present, hut he wanted to have the bridge inspected by a Public Works Department engineer. The coroner said he thought the evidence of an expert was very desirable and adjourned the inquest.