The organiser of Gisborne's A&P show, where five girls were hurt on a malfunctioning ride this morning, says he would not have engaged any risky operators.
The girls, aged between seven and 12, were taken to Gisborne Hospital after the Explorer joy ride, billed as New Zealand's fastest ride, malfunctioned.
Four of the girls were treated for minor to moderate back and limb injuries. A 10-year-old girl was to remain in Gisborne Hospital for observation.
Many children were battered and bruised as they staggered from the fully loaded machine, owned by Mahon's Amusements, the Gisborne Herald reported.
"How those kids managed to stay on the ride I don't know. They were getting flung around like ragdolls," one mother said.
Show organiser Derek Allan said the children were all fine, and some had returned to the show today.
"The mother of the young girl who they had most concern for has told me that she's come away with a bruised elbow and a cut lip," Mr Allan told Radio New Zealand.
"She's at home, but I've seen two of the other girls back at the show, they just couldn't wait to get back here."
The parents had told him they saw the accident as something that could not have been predicted.
He was not present when the accident happened, but had not been told of panic and children being thrown around.
"I don't know where that description came from, because that's not the description I've had from the parents, the ones that I've spoken to," Mr Allan said.
"It was, of course, of concern, but I guess the ultimate is that nobody's been seriously injured."
There had been no similar incident in the past seven years he had been involved in the show.
"We wouldn't engage people who might be risky or have any risk associated with them, and Mahon's have got an impeccable public safety record."
The Mahon family told Radio New Zealand they were extremely sorry that the incident had occurred, and that they had expressed their regret and concerns to the parents.
The Explorer has been shut down during an investigation by the Department of Labour.
