TAXI DRIVER DROWNED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 100, 30 April 1930, Page 13

TAXI DRIVER DROWNED

PLUNGE INTO RIVER

TWO PASSENGERS ESCAPE ' (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. Frank Joseph Martin, a taxi proprietor, who was drowned on Monday night near Taupiri through his car plunging into tho Mangawara stream, was a married man with two children. He carried on business in Customs street. With him at the time of the fatality were his niece, Marjorie -Nidd, aged 20, ancl a.girl named Dorothy Lodge, aged about ten, of Drury. He was on his "way from Auckland to Wellington, and intended spending the night at Hamilton. It was very dark, and rain was falling when the accident occurred. Tho road is narrow and tho bend exceedingly dangerous, turning almost at right-angles on to a narrow bridge. It has been the scene of many accidents. Martin apparently did not notice the turn in time, and his car plunged through the fence straight down the bank and into tho stream, which" in the centre is 15 feet deep. Portion U the car, probably caught on a snag, remained out of the water. ■ Both girls were taken to Taupiri. The accident was lirst noticed by a service car driver' named ClOugher, of Hamilton, who was. travelling some distance behind- the car. Ho immediately went to Taupiri for assistance. Meanwhile a visitor to the district iroin Auckland, Mr. George West, hurried to the spot. Realising what had happened; he dived in and tried to save the driver. He felt Martin's body through the window of the' car, but his efforts to extricate him 'were unavailing. The next arrival was Mr. C. E. Watts, of Taupiri, who also dived into the river, and did his best to release Martin. The pair worked valiantly m the dark for a. long time, but were unable to get Martin" out. Obviously, by that time he was dead. Eventually a block tackle were rxrocurcd, and the car was lifted sufficiently from the water for the body to be recovered. Martin was found to be jammed against the seat by the steering wheel. His body was taken to Taupiri. Martin's dog was found dead by his side.