PLUNGE FROM WHARF

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20523, 13 June 1938, Page 6

PLUNGE FROM WHARF

ACCIDENT AT MERCER CAR S LEAP ON TO BARGE DRIVER TAKES WRONG TURN Special to Times.) MERCER, Sunday An unusual accident occurred about 3.30 a.m. to-day when a car containing two young men charged over the edge of the Mercer wharf, cleared a gap of about 10ft. and plunged down on to the deck of a barge moored in the Waikato River. The driver, Mr S. L. Lewis, single, farm manager, of Feilding, had tendons in his left ami severed but his companion, Mr W. L. Menzles, single, a carpenter, of Kimbolton, escaped with a shaking. Mr Lewis was driving and Mr Menzies was asleep. Mr Lewis stated that he did not know of vlhe sharp turn south which tho road makes at the Mercer wharf. The moon was on his face and he followed a* track between cranes and trucks without noticing the turn. The car crashed riclit through the guardrail on the wharf and fell nose-down on to the barge. The front of the left dumb-iron pierced the decking while the right dumb-iron caught between the stern-board and the decking, leaving the car standing almost on its head. The steering-wheel was shattered and the windscreen broken, while Mi’ Menzies was thrown into the the hood of the car. Mr Lewis was subsequently attended by a doctor at Mercer, being later taken to hospital.