ACCIDENTS

Grey River Argus, 12 July 1927, Page 5

ACCIDENTS

OVER THE BANK. CAR FALLS IN MAORI CREEK. OCCUPANTS ’ MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. Further details concerning the motor car accident which took place at Maori Creek on Sunday show that the occupants, Messrs N. Doogan and Christtensen, had a miraculous escape from death, or serious injury. It appears that the car was proceeding along the road, when on reaching a crossing by an old dredge track, the driver mistook the track for the road, and drove the car headlong into the river. The vehicle fell over 15 feet into water about eight feet deep, turning a somersault as it left the top of the bank and settled in the water upside down. Neither of the occupants could give any account as to how* they got clear of the submerged car, but the opinion is -expressed that had. the side curtains been attached te Ahp vehicle, they would certainly have been drowned. Mr Christensen was quite a while in the water before he was able to extricate himself. Both the occupants reached the bank, however, without having sustained any serious injury. The car, an Essex model, is badly damaged, and it is understood that no attempt will be made to salvage it. CAR DIVES OVER BRIDGE. ACCIDENT NEAR KAIATA. While a Nash car, owned by Mr J Armstrong, of Runanga, was travelling along the road near Kaiata, about midnight on Sunday, the vehicle dashed into a bridge approach, and fell into the creek, about 12 feet below. There were five persons in the car, and they were all fortunate enough to escape without injury. The car was proceeding from Blackball to Runanga, in a somewhat foggy atmosphere, which it is assumed was responsible for the driver mistaking the position of the bridge. The car was severely damaged, and has not yet been recovered from the creek.

Old Man Killed. BY MOTOR CYCLE. (Per Press Assn.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 11. An inquest into the death of Joseph Hawthorne, an old age pensioner, aged 83 years, who was knocked down by a motor cycle in Fendalton on July 2nd, was concluded to-day by Mr Young, S.M. The |motor cycle was driven by Robert Beattie Wilson, a draper’s assistant, who said he travelling at ten or fifteen miles an hour. The night was dark and foggy, and witness did not se-e the old man until close upon him. Witness managed to miss him with the machine, but his shoulder struck Hawthorne, who fell. Other evidence was that the old man had a habit of wandering at night. He always walked on the roadway, instead of on the footpath, and was a danger to himself and to traffic. The verdict was one of accidental death. DUNEDIN, July 11. Donald Musson, aged 5, was admitted to the hospital suffering . with severe scalds, through falling into a bath of hot water. CHRISTCHURCH, July 11. Daniel Fitzgerald, single, of Islington, was found lying dead by the tramline near the Rush Inn, Riccarton, at 1.30 yesterday morning. There was a bicycle near, which showed signs of having been run over by a vehicle. CHRISTCHURCH, July 11. Through a rope fouling the propeller, a motor boat became unmanageable on Sumner Bay yesterday. She had four men aboard, who made desperate signals for assistance as the sea ' was very rough. After a good deal of trouble, a lifeboat got a tow rope aboard, and effected a rescue amid cheers from hundreds who watched the incident. DUNEDIN, July 11. A diver’s examination failed to reveal any damage to the hull of the ' steamer Tekoa, as the result of touching a side channel when leaving Lyt- . telton.