THREE LIVES LOST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 106, 8 May 1933, Page 6

THREE LIVES LOST

CAR’S FATAL PLUNGE PASSENGERS TRAPPED [ Per Pre.. Association. J INVERCARGILL, May 8. A shocking tragedy wvurred at 10.30 last evening at Wallacetown, six miles from the city, when a sedan car containing six passengers plunged into the flooded Makerewa River. Three were drowned and the, others narrowly escaped. The victims are:— Mrs Milne, wife of Mr Frank Milne,, manager of the Wright’s Bush Dairy Factory. Belle Milne, aged nine, her daughter. Miss Jean Somerville, a sister-in-law. Those who escaped were Mr Frank Alilne, the driver of the car; Miss Lily Milne; and Mr G. Taylor, a dairy factory assistant. The family were returning home after shopping in the city, and were proceeding at a slow speed across the bridge,, when tho wheel slid off the runner on the decking, causing the car to skid. It struck the right side lightly, but evidently the woodwork was rotten, for it snapped and the tar plunged over, sliding down a steep bank into deep water. The three survivors got clear and reached land with difficulty. Aid was summoned and strenuous efforts were made to lift the car, but it was 3 o’clock in the morning before the bodies were recovered. Mr Milne is an experienced driver, who knows tho road well. He states that tho tragedy could not have happened if the railing had been sound. “I don’t know how I got out of the car,” he stated. “I think I must have been jerked backwards through the window. For a moment I thought I could pull some of tho others out, for the car seemed to stay near tho edge. Thon the current eaught it and swept it further out and into deeper water.” THIRD BODY FOUND [Per Press Association. I INVERCARGILL. May T. The body of the third victim of the Wallacetown drowning, Jean Somerville, was found this afternoon several miles below the bridge where tho car crashed.

STRUCK BY CAR

MAN SEEKING A LIFT [ Per Press Association. I MASTERTON, May T. A fatality occurred on the main Car-terton-Masterton road on Saturday evening, when a single man, Alexander Burr, 33, of Masterton, was killed when attempting to stop a passing car to get a lift into Masterton. A motor-cycle, on which deceased was a pillion passenger, had broken down. The car which struck deceased was driven by Victor Herbdcn, of Masterton.

CRUSHED TO DEATH

TIMBER MILL WORKER [ Per Press Association. 1 TE KUITI, May 6. On Thursday, John Percival Clemette, a benchmnn at tho Kopaki Rimu Company’s mill, was killed instantly. He was crushed between a benvh and an upright stud in the milk An inquest was held this morning. A verdict of accidental death was returned, with no blamo attachable to anyone. Tho deceased was thirty-four years of age. He loaves a wife and one child.

GUN ACCIDENT FATHER SHOT BY SON [ Per Press Association. 1 GISBORNE, May 7. A distressing tragedy occurred in the Waimata Valley this afternoon when Alexander Lyons Warrington, a blacksmith, residing at was accidentally shot by his cventeen-year-old son. dying shortly afterwards. Tho father and son were after pheasants and were working up the river, tho father being between 30 and 40 yards from the son. One pheasant rose and flew in the direction of the father and tho son fired. The father called out that he was shot and the son rushed to tho spot and found that his father had received the charge in the face and chest, dying within five minutes. TRAGIC DISCOVERY HUSBAND DEAD IN GARDEN [ Per Press Association. 1 DUNEDIN, May 7. A married man named William Harvey, 65 years of age, was found by his wife lying dead in tho garden at the back of his house at Anderson’s Bay this afternoon. A .303 rifle was lying beside the body, which boro indications that a shot had been fired info the mouth. Deceased had been unemployed for some time.