SEA PLUNGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 225, 23 September 1938, Page 17

SEA PLUNGE.

TWO WOMEN DROWNED

PRIEST TELLS STORY.

CAR FAILED TO STOP.

(Special.—By Air Mail.)

LONDON, September 3.

Torquay local authority wu strongly ci iticised at an inquest on two women who were drowned when a car plunged into the harbour from a quay converted into a car park. The women were Mrs. Mildred. -Tones (•>4) and her sister, Mrs. Ethel Harrington (f>7), both of Dunstone Park Road, Pa ip 11 ton. The coroner, Mr. E. Hutchings, summmg up, said the parking place was private property and was originally intended for use as a quay. "There is no statutory duty to pre\ent a local authority from converting a quay into a car park,'' he added, "but theie is a moral duty for them to see it is *-afe. "It is pathetic and sad to think that ordinary precautions are not taken until somebody i* killed. It is perfectly safe as a harbour wharf but dangerous for a parking place where cars face a drop into 20ft of water. "If it were a breach of statutory dutv this would be a case of nearly manslaughter." • The women's brother, Father Leo •Tackson. a Catholic Priest, of Anitsford Presbytery, Dudley, Northumberland, who es<«ped from the car, said it was driven by Mrs. Harrington; an experienced driver, to the parking place facing the harbour and stopped behind other cars in the quay.

The engine was stopped for about 15 minutes and then the illuminations came on the pier. Cars in front obstructed their view end Mrs. Harrington said she would pull up in line with the other cars, and get a better sight of the illuminations.

"My sister pressed tbe self-starter and manipulated the pears and the car started to go forward," said Father Jockson.

"It drew level with the other cars, but did not stop, and my other sister shouted, 'We're going over!'

"The car <lid not stop but went furward actually over the edge of the quay."

At this point the coroner said he would not ask Father .Tackson what hastened afterwards, because he did not want him to repeat hi* terrible experience.

Other witnesses described how Father .Tackson was rescued from the water, and the two women released from the car after it had been raised above the surface by means of grappling irons.

. The jury, returning a verdict of "Accidental death." recommended that a harrier should be fixed wherever parkin? was allowed in the vicinity of the harbour.