THE DRIVER'S STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 208, 3 September 1925, Page 10

THE DRIVER'S STORY.

CAR SOMERSAULTED TWICE. SAW TWO CARS PASS. Sir. Coghill states that he was just going round a bend when something appeared to interfere with the steering wheel, and the car went over the bank, turning over twice, and landing on its wheels. That is all he remembers until about six o'clock this morning, when he recovered consciousness, and unsuccessfully endeavoured to attract the at.tention of two passing cars. He then became unconscious again. The car left Wairoa at six o'clock last night, and the accident occurred at a spot about three hours on' the journey

towarde Napier. The wrecked car and injured travellers were discoverd by a Maori woman at eleven o'clock this morning, and she walked a mile and a-half to Waikare Hotel for assistance, and Mr. A. J. Ellingham, proprietor of the hotel, at once set out by car for the scene. The body of the boy was found halfway down the bank. The car was badly damaged, but the fact that it was a limousine, is considered to liave lessened the severity of the accident, as the hood remained intact except for the glass on one side. Had it collapsed the passengers would possibly have been crushed as the car somersaulted down the bank. . The cause of the car going over the bank was possibly due to the fact that the road Avas broken away a little at that spot. Scene of the Accident. The car apparently left the road at a point about 250 yds along the gorge from the Waikare end. The tracks could ba traced to the spot where the car had left the crown of the Toad and travelled for a short distance on the side before going over the cliff to fall to the river bank, 100 ft or more below. The gorge at the place of the accident drops sheer for a distance of about 60ft, and then slopes gently for a short distance, culminating in another sheer drop to the Tiver bank. The car came to a standstill within two or three feet of the river, standing upon the four wheels, but in a very badly damaged condition. Two of the doors were missing, and had apparently been washed away in the river, which was slightly flooded as a result of the recent heavy rains. It was UOft deep at the bank. Fittings from the ear and some of the luggage had been carried away, and were found about a-quarter of a" mile down the stream. Hours of Exposure. When the car did not arrive at Waikare the previous night it was considered that a breakdown had caused the driver to wait on the road for the night. It is impossible to conceive the sufferings of Mrs. Jackson and Mr. .Coghill throughout the bitterly cold and wet night. The clock in the car had stopped at 9.30, and it is thought that the accident must have, occurred at about'this time. By the time Mr. Ellingham arrived on the scene it was 11 o'clock, so that the two injured people must have been in their precarious position for nearly 14 hours. Another accident occurred near the same point on the road only last week, when a light motor lorry wont over the gorge, fortunately without any injury .to the occupants. The lorry had pulled up to the side of the. road to allow another vehicle to pass, when the brake apparently slipped, and before any action could be taken the machine wont over the bank. The Rescue Party. "When I got there," said Mr. Ellingham, "I saw the car. which was utterly wrecked, at the watcr"s edge, over the steep side of the gorge. Mr. Coghill. the driver, and Mrs. Jackson were'half in the water. Mr. Coghill waa semiconscious and was just hanging on. Kis back M-as injured, arid he was incapable of movement. Mrs. J,ackson was unconscious. Nearby was the child, a boy, quite dead. Evidently he was killed outright when he was hurled out of the ear, which apparently turned over several times. Mr. Jackson had completely disappeared. I am afraid he was thrown into the water, at this point 30ft deep, and was drowned." Mr. Ellingham and his one helper— there were only two of them at this stage—had an arduous time in rescuing the injured people from the river. The placo waa steep and the water very cold. Mr. Coghill was never more than semi-conscious, and rarely rational. Mrs. Jackson remained unconscious, and never spoke.

Medical aid..arrived from Xapicr at 2 o'clock. ' Both MY. Coghill ami Jackson were placed in" the ambulance] which left Waikaro for the Napier Hospital a little before three o'clock. It was a terrible job getting the injured up the cliff to the road. The ambulance with, the injured people reached the Napier Hospital at about six o'clock this evening. Mrs. Jackson is in a very low state, and there is little or no hope of her recovery. JJr. Coghill is doing as well as can be expected. Mr. Coghill was a good driver. His home is in Dunedin, but lately he has been living in Gisborne. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson had been living at 'Wairoa for some time pact, Sir. Jackson having been engaged on the pipe lines in con-, nectiou with the installation of the water supply there. Mrs. Jackson's parents are residents of Wellington, and formerly, with their daughter, resided in Napier.