TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 11

TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES

AUCKLAND WEDDING PARTY SEQUEL CAR’S FALL FROM FERRY WHARF EVIDENCE AT INQUEST AUCKLAND, 12th April. The tragic circumstances which led Mr Ross Faulkner to drive along the staging at the Devonport Wharf in an attempt to catch a ferryboat which he did not know was then pulling away from the raised apron at the end were told to-day after an inquest had been opened into the deaths of Miss Elizabeth Maude Swanston and Miss Margaret Beale, two young women who were drowned when Mr Faulkner’s motor car dropped into the harbour at about 11.15 on Tuesday night after they had attended a wedding at Takapuna. With Mr Noel Crump, who was a close friend of Miss Swanston, and Mr Gilbert Baron, of Katikati, the two young women and Mr Faulkner left the wedding reception with the intention of going to a suburban cabaret. Their car was closely followed by that j of Mr T. J. Fleming, who to-day represented Mr J. B. Beale, father of Miss Beale, at the inquest. INQUIRY ABOUT NEXT FERRY When Mr Faulkner, who was not familiar with the vehicular ferry service system, arrived at the wharf he found that a ferry had just left for the! city. His solicitor, Mr E. Jenkins, said | to-day that Faulkner had said he in- I quired when the next ferry would be I leaving and was told that it would go in about 15 minutes. Baron and Crump got out of the car, Baron going to a telephone to ring a friend and Crump walking back along the wharf to the ticket office. Presently a vehicular ferry approached from the city side ancl discharged ! its load of cars. Seeing this, it was stated, one of the girls suggested to Faulkner that he should board the ferry and that they could there be caught up by Crump and Baron. Failing that, since they did not know how long the telephone call would take, it was suggested that the two men could catch a passenger ferry and be picked up in the city. Faulkner then drove along the staging. At that time the number of vehicular ferries plying across the harbour was being reduced for the late traffic and the boat which had just discharged its cars was pulling away preparatory to going to its night berth. Under the system followed it had finished for the night and the running was then being taken up by another vessel. Faulkner was unaware of this. As the ferry drew away from the wharf the apron at the end of the staging was raised about two feet from the decking of the ship, according to a driver who followed closely after Faulkner. This driver also stated that the light at the shore end of the staging was not working on Tuesday night. He did not know if the "Stop” disc which swings out before the apron is raised was working. UNABLE TO STOP CAR Faulkner drove up the slight incline and could not stop when he found that the ferry was not still at its berth. His car, a heavy four-door model, fell about 10 or 12 feet into the harbour. Faulkner made vain efforts to open a door. Then water began to come in through the open windows and he swallowed some. After that his attempts to open a door became instinctive and he does not know- exactly when he floated clear of the car. By this time Crump, who had come back to the staging to board the ferry, had been told that the car had plunged into the harbour. With Baron and Faulkner he began diving to release the two girls. Several times Crump touched the car, but none of the men was able to overcome the r ressurc ot water at the harbour bottom. When they finally desisted after what others described as heroic efforts, they were all near exhaustion. THREE OPEN DOORS Efforts to release the two victims and raise the car were continued by police officers and Auckland Harbour Board officials till about 5.30 this morning, when they finally succeeded. Three doors were open when the car came to the surface. j When the inquest was opened, j Robert Newton King Swanston, Taka- l puna, and James Bruce Beale, Tau- j Tanga, fathers of the girls, gave evideuce that they had seen their daughters immediately before Faulkner's j party left the wedding reception. All live persons in the car, they said, were quite sober. The inquest was adjourned after | formal evidence, and later the coroner. Mr F. K. Hunt, visited the ferry staging ■ and inspected the warning devices. ! Later in the afternoon workmen at- 1 tended to the light at the shore end. j