ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25081, 13 January 1947, Page 8

ACCIDENTS

YOUNG MAN BELIEVED DROWNED SQUALL CAPSIZES YACHT (P.A.) AUCKLAND, January 12. A young man who has been missing since his yacht overturned near Brown's Island on Saturday night is believed to have been drowned. He is Gordon Bennett, aged 21, single, a french polisher, son of Mr Albert Bennett, of New Lynn, With Thomas Alan Atkins, aged 19, and Allan Norman Hornell, aged 17, Bennett was bringing his 14-ioot Y class yacht to Auckland from Matiatia in a choppy sea. About 100 yards north of Brown’s Island a sudden north-westerly squall overturned the yacht. While the other two clurjg to the yacht. Hornell swam ashore to obtain help. He gained the shore, but while he was looking for the caretaker the others became cold and decided to swir.i ashore. Bennett, who was not a good swimmer, was assisted by Atkins until they were about half the distance from the boat to the shore. At that vage Atkins could assist Bennett no longer as both were in danger of drowning, and he swam ashore. A search of the area was made without success.

MAN KILLED IN MOTOR ACCIDENT

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, January 12. When a car which he was driving left the Main South road near Fairfield on Saturday night, Alfred Vernal Walker, a married man. aged 31, of 38 Oakland street, Anderson’s Bay, was killed. The only passenger in the car, Clifford James, aged 30, who lives at 289 Castle streeet, is in the Dunedin Public Hospital suffering from minor injuries.

At about 7 p.m. on Saturday, Mr Walker was driving his car, a small sports* model, towards Dunedin and, when founding a bend, he apparently lost control. The car smashed through a length of fencing and overturned down a bank, finally coming to rest after a fall of about 40 feet. Mr Walker was thrown from the car and when a traffic inspector arrived- •he was found to be dead.

Mr James was removed to hospital by ambulance and was admitted at 8.10 p.m., suffering from injuries to head and face. His condition is reported L 3 satisfactory. An inquest will be opened to-mor-row.