ACCIDENT IN GORGE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 296, 13 September 1927, Page 6

ACCIDENT IN GORGE

SERVICE CAR’S NARROW ESCAPE

Palmerston North, September 12.

A Dominion special motor car belonging to Mr. L. G. Harker, of Waipukurau, was concerned in a serious accident on the Manawatu Gorge Road last night. It was only prevented from being thrown some, hundred feet into the Manawatu River by a wooden fence on the outer side of the road. The car was apparently being driven from Palmerston North to Hawke’s Bay although, it is stated, the owner of the car was not at the wheel. The gorge road had been rendered very slippery by heavy rain earlier in- the day ; and the car skidded as it was rounding a sharp corner. The result was that the front of the car collided with the fence, the car swinging round so that the rear portion of it was hanging over the cliff with nothing but a hundred feet of space between it and the Manawatu River. The car was fortunately prevented from being thrown into the river by the fence on the side of the road but, judging from the damage don* to the front portion of the machine, it must have struck this obstruction with considerable force. This morning the car was removed from its precarious position and taken to Palmerston North for repairs. As far as can be ascet tained no injury was suffered by the driver.