MOTOR CAR’S PLUNGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1921, Page 4

MOTOR CAR’S PLUNGE.

100 FEET FALL INTO RIVEK. FOUR MEN IN THE CAR. ONE KILLED; ONE MISSING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Palmerston N., Last Night. The already lengthy list of fatal motor accidents in the Manawatu Gorge was added to on Monday night, when a threeseater Ford car conveying four men plunged into the river. The scene of the tragedy was the first bad bend in the road after entering the gorge from the Ashhurst end. To a certain extent the affair is shrouded in mystery, for as yet the full circumstances have not been brought to light. The men concerned were: Percy Smythe, Clarence Davidson and Reginald Burnham, all of Palmerston North, and another who is reported missing, and whose identity has not yet been established. A feature of the occurrence is that the car was the property of Messrs. Goldingham and Beckett, Ltd., and was taken from the front of their premises early that afternoon by some person unknown. The missing man is supposed to have been the driver of the car at the time of the accident. Smythe, it is understood, had accepted Burnham’s invitation to join the party, but Smythe did not know the occupants. It was about six o’clock when the invitation was issued near the Princess Hotel, Terrace End. Ashhurst was the first place visited, after which it was decided to continue the jaunt to "Woodville. All went well until the sp >t mentioned was reached, where the “ar,, after having practically, negotiated the corner, left the road where there is some crib logging over a place where the esrth had given way, and the car plunged into the river—a fall of almost a hundred feet. There were skid marks on the road, while the trees with which the machine came in contact were barked. The car overturned when it reached the bottom, and threw the occupants into the water, and after a severe struggle they regained the bank. Smythe asserts that he assisted Burnham (or Earle) out, and he afterwards saw Davidson lying in a pool of blood. Burnham suffered serious injury to his shoulder, and was generally cut about. Smythe escaped almost scathless, but Davidson was badly hurt. Smythe struggled to the road and sought assistance, which was very soon forthcoming, and the injured men were eventually removed to Palmerston by ambulance, Davidson and Burnham being taken to hospital and Smythe to his home. Davidson died this morning. Burnham is suffering principally from a dislocated shoulder.

Strange to say, nothing" has been heard of the fourth man. and a search of the river has proved fruitless. It was at first supposed that he was pinned beneath the car, but investigations proved that such was not the case.