STOCK MENACE ON ROADS

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 204, 23 December 1955, Page 1

STOCK MENACE ON ROADS

Motor-Cyclist Crashes Into Wandering Horse The deadly menace to motorists of wandering stock on the roads was grimly illustrated on Friday, December 16, when a motor-cyclist on the Waitahanui Flat, Taupo-Turangi highway, crashed into a horse and was fortunate not to he killed outright. Mr Haldon Taylor, of Onehunga, was travelling toward Taupo about 12.50 p.m. at a speed in the vicinity of 50 m.p.li. when a horse suddenly emerged from the scrub on the Lake side of the highway right in front of the motor-cycle. Mr Taylor crashed into the animal, which was killed. The front of the cycle was reduced to wreckage and the rider hurled 20 feet away, where he lay unconscious. Motorists following Mr Taylor saw the accident, and leaving one of their number with the unconscious man proceeded to Taupo, and telephoned the Police Station from the Lakefront Garage. Medical aid was at once summoned and the Taupo St. John Ambulance Brigade's ambulance and Gonstable W. D. Mills proceeded to the scene. Mr Taylor had regained consciousness, but was suffering severely from shock and pain. The fact that he was wearing a crasli-helmet had undoubtedly saved his life. He was later able to proceed to Auckland by service coach.

The 'motorist who wit.nessed the 4 c.rash informed Gonstable Mills that the horse which caused the accident was one of a group of five at large on the road. For some t.Lme past the Taupo Gounty authorities have been campaigning against wandering stock on the Taupo-Turangi-Tokaanu highway. with considerable success in the reduct.ion of animals at large. Recently, however, stray stock have on several occasions been seen on the road, and it appears that some owners are not co-operating as thev should with the Gounty authorities. The authorities will liave their hands strengthened early in the coming year, when the recently amended Impounding Act will enable them to deal summarlly with aniimals whose own(U's are not known, as well as more effecti vel.v than under the existing out-of-date Act with owners who allow stock to wander on the roads. It is understood that the police have identified the owner of the animal whose presence 011 the road caused the present accident