SHOCKING ACCIDENT

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1925, Page 1

SHOCKING ACCIDENT

HOY KU.LI-ID. l-'ATIIEIt .MISSING

[UY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS A6BOCIATIO.N.J

NAPIER, September 2. A Cadialhte limousine, owned by I)e Luxe Service, running between Napier and Gisborne, went over a bank one hundred and sixty feet into tho Waikerc Gorge on the Nil pier- AVairoa road some time oil Tuesday night, with the. result that a boy, aged four and alialf was killed, and the driver ami a lady passenger were severely hurt, while one man is missing, a passenger, named AYilliam Jackson believed to belong to Gisborne and with him his wife and son. Airs Jackson was found in an unconscious state, and her husband is still missing. It was thought at first that his body might have been thrown into the river, but a bat bloodstained, was found in a position which seemed to contradict this theory, so possibly lie lias wandered off in a dazed condition. Mrs Jackson and the driver (Coghill) were found lying partly in the river. There were marks indicating that the latter had pulled thewoman clear of the water partly, ami then had become unconscious.

Mrs Jackson and Coghill arc at present in the Napier hospital suffering from severe bruises and abrasions, acute shock and exposure. Airs Jackson, who sustained head injuries anil a fractured arm, is still

unconscious. Cogliill states that he was just going around a bend, when something appeared to interfere with the steering gear wheel, and the car went over tho bank, turning over twice, and landing on its wheels. That is all that ho remembered till about six o'clock this morning, when be recovered consciousness, and then he unsuccessfully endeavoured to attract the attention of two passing ears, and then he became unconscious again. The ear left Wairoa at six o’clock last night, and tho accident occurred at a spot; about three hours on the journey towards Napier. The wrecked car and the injured travellers were dsicovcretl hv a- -Maori woman at eleven o’clock this morning and she walked a. mile and a-half to the AYaikare hotel lor assistance.

The Police are searching for Jack son.

The body of the hoy was found half way down the bank. The car is badly damaged, but the fact that it was a limousine is considered to have lessened the severity of the accident as the hood remained intact, except for the glass on one side. Had it collapsed, the passengers would possibly have been crushed, as the car somersaulted down the hunk. The cause of the the car going over tho hank was possibly due to tho road being broken away a little at that spot. NAPIER, September 2.

The motor accident party who went to the scene followed a trail of blood to the water’s edge, fifty yards from die car, where Jackson’s blood-stained liat was found, so that it is thought lie will he in the river, which at this ■spot is very drop. BODY RECOVERED. GISBORNE. September 3.

A Waikere message reports the body .1 Jackson was found this morning by some Maori- floating quite close to the scene of the accident. It is evident lie bail been very hadlv injured. The luxly was taken to Napier with that of Hie chilli.