CAR HURTLES DOWN FORTY-FOOT BANK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18960, 6 January 1930, Page 10

CAR HURTLES DOWN FORTY-FOOT BANK.

PASSENGERS HAVE VERY NARROW ESCAPE. A party of motorists returning from Greymouth to Christchurch on New Year’s Eve had a narrow escape a serious accident on the road about five miles from Otira. The car belongs to Mr F. Williamson, and he had with him in the car Mrs Williamson and Mr and Mrs Taylor. The car went over a 40ft bank, and had it rolled another few feet would have dropped sheer into the river 100 ft below. They had spent the day at Greymouth, and were returning home. The road at the spot mentioned is very narrow, and there is barely room for two cars to pass. Another car was met on the road, but the passing would have been negotiated safely had not. the bank given way under the weight of Mr Williamson’s car, a Hudson six. They were not travelling very fast at the time. The car overturned and rolled slowly down a fairly steep incline, somersaulting twice. It halted right on the edge of a 100 ft cliff, requiring very little disturbance to send it hurtling into the river below. The passengers gingerly got out of the car with the assistance from those in the other car, which had immediately pulled up. The party then proceeded to Christchurch in a service car. “We were terrified to move,” said Mrs Williamson, when talking to a ;e----porter about the accident. “It seemed that the slightest movement v.ould send the car over the cliff. Tie car was lying on its side, and the doors had to be opened by the people n the other car. None of us were hurt, but we had a nasty fright. I think i: was only the weight of the engine which eventually pulled the car up in its headlong course.” The car was very slightty damaged, owing to the fact of its having a steel frame body. This alone saved the passengers from certain death.