Wednesday, December 23, 2020
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TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 SCOREBOARD DROP KILLER’S FOR GISBORNE LABYRINTH STRANDED ECONOMY IN BRITAIN: PAGE 3 OF LIES THOUSANDS OF TRUCK DRIVERS WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHT PAGE 6 PAGE 13 CRASH SITE: The scene of truck driver Mike Moore’s accident on State Highway 35 near Tolaga Bay on November 17. Picture by Liam Clayton ‘I CAN’T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH’ ON THE MEND: Mike Moore continues his recovery after suffering multiple injuries in a truck crash on the Coast. He thanks everyone who played a role in getting him out of the truck and to hospital, and the staff who looked after him and operated on him. “Hats off to everyone. They are doing Searching for mystery rescuer a selfless job and are underappreciated.” Picture by Liam Clayton by Sophie Rishworth “I really want to see him and speak to him in Mike was also grateful to everyone else involved in person. his rescue. A TRUCK driver who survived a crash on the “He said he was from Waipiro Bay and we needed “The sight of the police officer and the fire brigade Coast highway last month is looking for the man to have a beer when I got out (of hospital). I’d like to was quite a relief — the fact they were so quick. If who first arrived at the scene and have the beer they take him up on that offer.” the accident had happened further up the Coast I talked about. The man, who Mike thinks was also a truck driver, could have bled out.” Mike Moore suffered severe injuries after his used a belt he had worn for 20 years as a tourniquet Mike said miraculously his injuries, although empty log truck caught the edge of State Highway 35 around Mike’s right leg. serious, were not life-threatening. near Tolaga Bay on Tuesday, November 17. It crossed Mike remembers seeing blood squirting from his There was no internal damage or injuries to his the centre line into the path of an oncoming car. shin. other leg, chest or spine. He remembers putting his foot down, aiming for a He lost so much blood he later needed a “Thanks to everyone who was there, especially the bank on the left side of the road and closing his eyes. transfusion at Gisborne Hospital. A doctor told Mike rescue people, the helicopter pilots, the fire brigade Mike lost consciousness from the ensuing impact. he came close to having his lower leg amputated. and police — everyone involved. When he came to, he was hanging upside down in his Mike believes the man’s actions saved his leg. “Without their help it could have been a lot worse. seat belt. “He was very good. He talked to me and kept me They do an amazing job.” “Are you in there? Are you OK?” a voice said. calm. Before the accident, Mike was on his way to pick “The guy who came straight to the truck and “It was such a selfless act. It shows the New up a load of logs from Mata Road, inland from started talking to me, the very first guy, I can’t say Zealand spirit — to help someone you don’t even Tokomaru Bay. thank you enough to him,” said Mike. know.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Farming ..............19 Racing ................23 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Television ...........20 Sport ............ 24-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .. 6-9, 16, 18 World............ 13-15 Classifieds ... 21-22 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, December 23, 2020 A taste of China MUSICAL POETRY: Amy Hou plays the guzheng — a Chinese stringed instrument — at Treble Court. The modern-day version of the guzheng usually has 21 or more strings CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY: A recent newcomer to Gisborne, Dan Li took and is played with finger picks. Its sound is described as poetic and atmospheric. a taste of Chinese culture to the city centre on Saturday. Santa stepped Western society has mistakenly described it as a Chinese harp. However, there is out of his Treble Court grotto to sit with Mrs Li as she demonstrated the already a Chinese harp, which is known as a konghou. Pictures by Paul Rickard art of calligraphy to Thomas and Maria Wade. Picture by Paul Rickard ‘Someone above was looking out for me that day’ FROM PAGE 1 flew him to Gisborne Hospital where the state of East Coast roads. his Harley Davidson. rods were put through the broken bones “The roads are too tight for trucks and Mike said no. Just past Tolaga Bay, a wheel caught to keep them in place. The next day he too bumpy. New Zealand needs to spend “After you fall off the horse, you hop the edge of SH35 and dragged the rear of was flown to Waikato Hospital where he more money on widening our roads, not back on.” his rig around. underwent extensive surgery. just in this district but all around the But getting behind the wheel of a truck “I over-corrected and slid across the Plates were inserted and casts put on country. There is no room for people to again would depend on how his recovery road. I saw a car coming towards me and both his arms. His ankle was also put in pull over.” went over the next 12 months. saw the driver hit the brakes. a cast and a leg brace was fitted. While the accident was a reality check Mike turned 45 on Sunday and spent “I grabbed the steering wheel, put my He was in Waikato Hospital for three of the dangers that go with his job, it had the day continuing his recuperation and foot down, closed my eyes, headed for the weeks. not inspired a new perspective on life. watching videos. bank and said ‘forgive me Father for I Mike, who has been driving trucks for That had already happened in “I have plenty to go through.” have sinned’. 10 years, rang his boss from hospital to Whakatane eight years ago when he was He will likely be off work for up to a “I had to take evasive action. The last apologise for the roll and subsequent kicked in the face with a steel cap boot year but said he was, “as good as can be”. thing you want to do is hit someone, and damage. after being “jumped by 10 guys”. “I’m just glad to be alive, really. you survive and they don’t.” Log trucks can cost between $300,000 “After that I sat back and thought “All I can say is someone above was He does not remember the impact but and $500,000. about how lucky we are every day. Things looking out for me that day.” when he came to could hear the man “He said: ‘Look mate, don’t worry about like the smell of the grass, the sound and from Waipiro Bay asking if he was OK. it. Trucks can be replaced. You can’t’.” smell of the ocean, the sound of birds ■ If you are the man from Waipiro Bay He wasn’t. Mike suffered two broken Mike had a blood test as part of the — average things in life but they make who helped Mike and would like to take forearms, a broken tibia, fibia and patella accident investigation. There were no you appreciate it. Even just sitting there him up on his offer of a beer, contact in his right left, a broken nose and a drugs involved, he said, and he had yet to listening to water running in a creek.” The Gisborne Herald on 869 0600 for his gouge in his forehead. hear whether charges would be laid. Mike said his father had asked him if phone number, or message us through The Trust Tairawhiti Rescue Helicopter The crash underlined his concern at he would give up truck driving and riding Facebook. Get your Gisborne Herald • A 1943 Christmas menu discovered during lockdown offers a window into the culture of home-delivered Gisborne serviceman “Killer” Kane’s mortar platoon in the Solomon Islands. • Singer Caii-Michelle Baker talks about her new Christmas single, I Love This Time of Year, and her return to Gisborne and the East Coast for the fi rst time in nine years. • A Wellington-based parfumier has created a new scent called Bliss to mark 100 years since publication of Katherine Mansfi eld’s story Bliss. TOMORROW PLUS: MUSIC GUIDE • FILM REVIEWS • GUIDE GOSSIP The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To fi nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, December 23, 2020 NEWS 3 $20,000 payment gets thief out of jail FORMER First Fresh NZ Limited employee month outside the 24 months threshold at “The actual receipt of reparation payments accounts (it was not suggested those people Katrina Louise Brown has been freed from which the court can consider conversion to rather than mere promises is, as the were involved). prison on home detention but on the basis an electronically-monitored option. judge indicated, an important factor when She would regularly transfer money from she pays $20,000 towards reparation owing.