WEEK-END ACCIDENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 April 1935, Page 7

WEEK-END ACCIDENTS

TWO AUCKL’ND MEN DROWNED

WIVES WITNESS TRAGEDY

[PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

AUCKLAND, March 31. Within full view of their wives, two men lost their lives by drowning, in Tekaraka Gorge, about six miles north of Tangowahine, this morning. The victims were:—Reginald Owen Burrow, aged 51, married, carrier, of Tangawahine; and Thomas Henry Mooney, aged 66, married, farmer, of Tangawahine. As was often their practice, the two men had gone for an outing to a picnicking spot in the Gorge, taking with them their wives, a child of Burrow, and another girl. Shortly after their destination was reached Burrow who could swim slightly, went for a swim in a pool in the Gorge, the other members of the party sitting on the. bank of the stream. Probably, owing to the coldness of the.water, Burrow found himself in difficulties. Mrs. Burrow, who was about to have a bathe, saw her husband’s plight, and she went to his assistance. Her rescue efforts were in vain, however, and it was only with difficulty that she herself was able to regain the bank. Then, in a desperate final attempt to save Burrow, who was in drowning condition, Mooney went to his assistance. It was a brave action, considering Mooney’s age of 66 years, and the fact that he was unable to swim. Mooney waded out into the pool, the floor of which consists of rock and pebbles, which are slippery in places. When he reached the spot where Burrow had previously been seen to sink below the surface, Mooney also disappeared. The depth of the pool in the deepest place was about eight feet.

The two women immediately sought the aid of nearby settlers, and a party of Europeans and Maoris were soon on the scene. Burrow’s body was recovered about an hour later, and that of Mooney early in the afternoon. Burrow is survived by his wife and four children, and Mooney by his wife and two children.

BOY’S FALL OVER CLIFF.

AUCKLAND, March 31. A tragedy occurred at Stanley Bay yesterday afternoon, when a boy of nine years, William Haldane Worrall, fell over a cliff, behind the residence 1 of his parents, Mr and Mrs W. 0. Worrall, of Stanley Point Road, and was drowned. Injuries he received in his fall down the 40 feet face of the cliff contributed to his death. The house is one of those overlooking the harbour, and with its grounds extending to the edge of a high cliff on the western side of Stanley Bay wharf. The lad, with his brother, David, aged five years, had been playing in the grounds where there was no barrier. The children had been warned against playing there, as the pathway, running close to a flight of steps to the- beach, is dangerous for children. According to the lad’s brother, William stumbled and fell over the edge. On seeing him disappear, the other child ran about a quarter of a mile to the Ngataringa tennis courts, where Mrs Worrall was playing, and told her of the accident. Accompanied by three lady members, Mrs Worrall ran back to her home. The father, Worrall, was at that time taking part in a cricket match on a recreation ground adjoining the tennis courts, and it was not until later that he was informed of what had happened. Mrs Worrall and hex' companions looked ovex - the edge of the cliff and they saw the child lying in shallow water, face downwards, and with arms outstretched.

SPORTS RIDER’S CRASH.

WELLINGTON, April 1.

Crashing when travelling at high speed at the motor cycle sports, at Waikanae Beach, yesterday, one of the competitors, W. Dodds, received extensive head injuries, and a fractured base of the skull. He was removed to the hospital. His condition is very serious.

WOMEN AND BABY’S BURNS.

GISBORNE, April 1

Foux - persons were injured by burning methylated spirits Saturday when a Maori woman at Whangara poured liquid on a patent stove in the belief that the flame had expired. The blazing spirit struck an infant in tho arms of anotlxei- woman, and burnt both extensively, while another woman who attempted to extinguish the flames, also incurred injuries. The fire was. finally extinguished by a man. who wrapped the victims in a rug. Misses Ann Williams and Beatrice Jones, and the baby King are in hospital, and all are reported as improving. Mrs King was treated at home for burnt hand and arm.

CAR AND TRAM COLLISION.

AUCKLAND, April 1

Four young people were injured when a motor-car in which they were travelling, ran, into a tramcar at the intersection of Eden Terrace and Dominion Road at 11.30 last night. The injured are Thomas Callendar. driver, head injuries: Robert Henry Gear, fractured left leg and shock; Miss Frances Young, abrasions to head and face, injuries to chest and .shock; Miss Myra Strongman, slight concussion and shock. The hospital report to-day states that all the patients are in a serious condition with the exception of Miss Strongman.

The motor-car was proceeding down Eden Terrace, the driver apparently intending to turn into Dominion Road. The tramcar was about to turn the corner into Eden Terrace. The motorman, H. P. Hanson, applied the airbrakes, but the motor car was still lying on the side, and skidding across, the road struck the front of the tram with a terrific crash. The body of the motor car was badly twisted. The occupants were trapped and some time elapsed before they were extricated. The car was beyond repair. The front of the tramcar was pierced, the glass windows ijnside were broken, and the steel driving-control box was forced inwards. The motorman’s foot was

caught, but he was not seriously injured.

AUSTRALIAN VICTIMS.

.MOTORISTS KILLED & INJURED..

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

SYDNEY, March 31. Four people have been killed, while several have been injured, in motoring accidents during the week-end. In a collision between their motor car and a motor lorry, Ronald Baxter, aged 31 years, and Thomas Foley, aged 55, were killed, while Ernest Baxter, aged 33, and Charles Pearce, aged 58 were injured. The Baxters were brothers. Ernest- Baxter was formerly the Australian lightweight boxing champion. Two men were critically injured when their motor cycles collided and burst into flames. One, Frank Roberts, fracturedjiis leg and his arm. The other, William Charles Williamson, aged 23, fractured his skull. The latter subsequently died. A car driven by a girl, whose name is believed to be Gonnerson, left the road when she -was attempting to turn on to a bridge. The car turned over twice, and crashed into a pole. Miss Gonnerson and her sister were critically injured. They are not expected to live.

Another passenger in this car, a man named Whitworth, was killed.

Three people who were standing on a Sydney suburban road, were injured when a motor lorry crashed into them.

SYDNEY, April 1. Mavis Gonnesen, 17, died in the hospital. Her sister, Jean, 18, is still in a critical condition. The car was driven by Edward Whiteford, 18, not Whitwood, who was killed. The cyclist killed yesterday has been identified as Leslie Lynch, not William Charles Williamson, as cabled.

RACING CAR CRASH.

MELBOURNE, March 31.

Two racing motorists were injured, one of them fatally, when, during a test run, their car swerved violently, ran up an embankment, and piled up against a tree. Leslie Cramp, who was driving, was killed. Reginald Leslie, his mechanic, was injured.