ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 72, 16 March 1914, Page 5

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

A serious accident befel Dr. and Mrs Parkes, of Auckland, on Tuesday afternoon, near Stratford. TJie doctor and his wife have, during the past two weeks, been making a motor tour of the North Island, and they were returning via the West Coast through Taranaki. Fine weather and an absolute immunity from mishap of any kind had characterised their trip until Tuesday afternoon. The fianl stage of the\journey was to have been a run to New Plymouth, there to catch the West Coast steamer for Auckland. It was while running down from the mountain house at Dawson's Falls towards Stratford that the accident occurred. While the car was negotiating a fairly steep incline at a good speed, the steering gear suddenly failed, and the car was precipitated with great force into a bank. So great was the impact that the front part of the car became embedded in the earth. Mrs Parkes was thrown right through the wind screen out over the front of the car, and the doctor was also shot out. Mrs Parkes sustained a fractured arm and other injuries, but the doctor was fortunate enough to escape unhurt. Although | suffering severely from shock, Mrs Parkes was well enough to be taken by her husband to New Plymouth, where, they caught the steamer, and arrived in Auckland next morning.