MOTORISTS' LUCKY ESCAPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18635, 29 April 1924, Page 6

MOTORISTS' LUCKY ESCAPE.

OVERTURNED IN A STREAM. SKID IN LOOSE SHINGLE. ■ • • .' . ; ' . •'» ,1 *;a. •' •'' • (BY TKI.rGHAin. — COKItESI'UNDKNT.) GISBORNE, Monday. Two motorists who were on their way from Wairoa to Napier on Saturday afternoon had a very fortunate escape from serious injury, their car going over the bank and overturning in a stream about 10 miles this side of Mohaka. The motorists, Messrs. Otto Ballin, of Christchurch, and W. Samson, of Gisborne left Wairoa shortly after noon on Saturday in Mr. Ballin's seven-seater car. About 20 miles past Wairoa the road goes down .hill for a distance, and it is necessary to cross a culvert at the bottom and then ford a small stream. The culvert was successfully negotiated, but on reaching the other side the car ran into some loose shingle. The rear wheels tailed t;> grip, and the car skidded, with the result that it got to the edge of the bank and overturned. Mr. Samson was lucky, for the first thing lie knew was that, he was standing on his feet on the bank of the. stream. His companion, though unhurt, was less fortunate, being beneath the car in the centre of the stream. lie managed to crawl out, however, none the worse for the experience. 'Ihe sight of two suitcases floating down stream spurred the men to action, and all the contents of the car were retrieved. The only damage suffered by the car was the smashing of the hood and the breaking of one of the-wheels.