BLANKET OF FOG

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11955, 27 May 1933, Page 3

BLANKET OF FOG

DIVE INTO AUCKLAND HARBOUR.

AUCKLAND, Alay 24

A heavy blanket of fog settled over tlie harbour and low-lying suburbs last evening and did not finally disperse until shortly before S o clock this morning. Motorists, tramdrivers, and masters of vessels '-uuto exorcise the greatest caution and horns, bells, and sirens wore sound-

ed at frequent, intervals. A remarkable escape from injury and drowning was experienced by a younw llcmuera resident, Afr. I\. D. llorion, about 2 o’clock this morning. when he mistook the road and drove his saloon car over tlie whu-rf and plunged} into the bar!(bur on the western waterfront. Returning from Horne Bay in the dense fog. which had enveloped tlie city and harbour, bo was making for Customs . street and took the route via taushawo street and the City Markets. After passing along the back of Turners and Growers' building, and being under the impression that- the lights on the viaduct which loomed through the fog were those of the Customs street extension, he went straight ahead instead pi .turning to tho right. When lijjj car left tlie concrete road’ and reached tho roughly-plank-ed wharf in front of the Government oyster depot ho realised that he hau mistaken ,tho route, bull not that danger was., imminent. , lie was about to pull up when his car bit the low railing on-the edge of. t-lio wharf and plunged into the harbour about 12 feet .* below. y Fortunately lio was* not. injured and was .able to unwind the 1 front wiuulfw. and scramble out of-the vehicle as tho water rushed in, and float to the surface. . * , > Constable "Wilson, M-wlio was ou duty in tlio vicinity,, 'hoard’ the ear pluugo into the harbour, and in response to calls of ‘ the: motorist, who wa s clinging to tlio piles, lowered a ropo and hauled him to ■ the wharf. Oil and petrol bubbling on the surface this; morning revealed• the spot - where 'the - car lay. submerged and' attracted ‘. a lot of • sightseprs;,Tlio services of a diver were secured,, and after he had placed rope's'round' tho vehicle it was hauled from the harbour by a floating ova o'*. * ' ’’ . ' : • '