FOUR DROWNED AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 10

FOUR DROWNED AT AUCKLAND

♦ Gar Plunges Into Harbour MOTHER AND CHILDREN Husband’s Desperate Rescue Attempt (press association telegbasi.) AUCKLAND, July 27. When a motor-car plunged from Campbell’s Point, near the shore end of the eastern tide deflector, into the Auckland harbour shortly before 9 o’clock to-night four occupants, a mother and three children, lost their lives. The driver of the car, Harold James Lawson, of Victor street, Avondale, escaped with his life after making a gallant endeavour to save the lives of the occupants, all members of his family. Motorists whose cars were parked near the Pan American Airways base and the Royal Akarana Yacht Club headquarters noticed a car pass at a speed of about 20 miles an hour, and it turned out of their vision round the corner of St. George's rowing shed, where a number of small craft were out of the water. At least one man heard a crash shortly after; but presumed the noise was from trains shunting in the railway yards some 100 yards away. However, a few seconds later furious hammering on the door of the yacht club shed attracted the attention of the caretaker, Mr P. H. Marshall. Dived into Water ‘■Qn going down, I found Lawson wet through and highly agitated,” said Mr Marshall. “He told me hi* wife and kiddies were in the harbour, and that the car had gone over the edge. He did not remember how he got out. All he knew was that one minute he -was in the water, and next he was on the surf3Mr Marshall said he immediately telephoned the Queente Wharf police station, and while he was doing so, Lawson disappeared and dived from the 10ft seawall into the water in an endeavour to rescue his wife ana children. , Mr Marshall saw he was already exhausted, ana threw him a hiebuoy and hauled him to the side of the seawall. From there he was later dragged along to the skidway, and taken, after resuscitation measures by a St. John ambulance to the Auckland hospital in an unconscious state. With the'arrival of four constables, a dinghy was launched; but little could be done to aid the occupants of the car. the position of which could be identified by the glow of the headlights, 10 or 12 feet under the water, until the Harbour Board launch Ferro and an augmented force of constables arrived. Hopeless attempts were made to fix a line to the submerged car for some time. Grappling irons mid other methods proved unsuccessful, and just before midnight the car was still on the harbour bed. Steps were then being taken to enlist tn services of a diver. .... Lawson is aged 35. His condition is serious. , , , Those drowned are Lawson s wire. Mrs Vera Lawson, aged 33; her daughter Joan, aged 13; and two other children of the Lawsons, aged 10 and seven.