A TAXI TRAGEDY.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1923, Page 3

A TAXI TRAGEDY.

[I!Y TKI.KCKAfIl —I’KK PItKS.X ASSOCIATION. I

AUCKLAND. .1 one 1«. On Saturday night between (Tevcdnn and Panakurn. a taxi containing live person", including three ladies, went over 1 1"-, ha ok where ihe mad take- a

turn. .Mrs Edith Patton Chiumry. a visitor from San Francisco was drowned and the others re-"ii"d from tin* perilous position with difliculiity. I'hey were dragged old of the bitterly cold dirty water in a nearly hopeless condition. But for tlm presence of several motor cars in the vicinity, tin* whole of the occupants of the taxi would almost certainly have perished, as the overturned car was almost submerg'd in the stream and became a veritable death trap. Two lads who were first to the* rescue, getting into the water vainly endeavoured to lift the overturned car. there being no sign of life till a hand emerged from the water and one man was splendidly hauled out. With the arrival of more help, the doors ot the taxi were hurst open and other occupants were pulled out. Ihe occupants wore All's Hilda Hart, widow, of Kan Francisco, suffering severely from shock: Afiss Doris Edge, nurse, of Auckland, collapsed, due to shock : Jack Ward, taxi-driver of CTevedon. severe bruises: Allan E. Spence. Solicitor of Auckland, shock : and .Mrs E. R. Chinncrv of San Francisco, the latter being dead w hen recovered. Aliss Edge was unconscious, loir speedily recovered. Artificial respiration was employed on All's Chinnery for a considerable time, hut without success. Eventually .Miss Edge collapsed. Four patients were removed m Air Bull's residence nearby. The two Indy survivors are now in a private hospital at Auckland. Airs Hart’s condition being low.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. AUCKLAND, June 18. ,\n iusneciion of the scene of the accident of the morning with the capsized car -tiil lying, in the had ol the stream, confirmed the opinion that if aid had not been quickie forthcoming tiie escape of the remaining occup cits could not possible have been encompassed. Quite 100 people gathered yesterday to assist- in recovering the taxi. It. was several hours before the vohie'e was hauled out. coated with mud. by th" aid of ropes and jacks, some- met being up to their necks in the water while placing the ropes in position. The car looked completely wrecked. Airs Chen cry was the wife of T.co Chenerv. a merchant ot Kan Francisco, and sister fn Airs Davies, wife of Captain Humphrey Davies of Freshwater, near CTevedon. She arrived in company with Alt'". Hart and others by the Alakura, and was one of the passengers quarantined at Motuihi. On being ielcased from qiiaraiuine she visited Airs Davies at Freshwater, and was lemming to Auckland when the fatality occurred. Kin* was about 5(1 years of age and intended returning to United States next week.

STORY OF EYE-WITNESS. AUCKLAND. June Ub -[■ i 1 S [.,| V i ; |‘ eye-witnesses shows that the taxi driver was travelling from Celevedoii to Papnkura to connect with the evening train to Auckland. Anout 1> miles from Clevedon and about O.J miles before reaching Papnkura. the road takes a turn and dips into a hollow where it crosses a small stream by a wooden bridge. The spot is exact v oonosite .T. 1L Bull’s farm, and locally known as a particularly dangerous point in the road. The danger lies m the fact that the road turns sligh.h after crossing the bridge, and if the driver of the vehicle failed to negpmte the curve and went straignt >n. >.c would fall over a hank about eight foot into a stream five feet deep. It was practically dark at 5.30 p.m. as be taxi approached the bridge. It is b.Roved that several other ears wore uearitu' the spot from the opposite direction, and the occupants oi the tax. declare the headlights ot the eats in front hampered the visitor, and it surmised the driver drew into the bank sli-'htlv. after passing the bridge to wive the approaching ears room to pass and that the lights ... front caused l lim to misiudge the position of tL. ”l The taxi in full view of the oeeunants of a ear in front, toppled ovci a blackberry covered, bidden bank, and went into the mud and water.