SENSATIONAL MOTOR ACCIDENT

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1930, Page 8

SENSATIONAL MOTOR ACCIDENT

PLUNGE {NTO SWAMP

AUCKLAND, Feb. 1. A sensational motor accident oc-cur-I red a mile .north, of Mercer at about 4 p.m. on Friday. Mr F. H. Dwan, of : Wellington was t driving with his wife and two chi Id re fi along the new road raised through the swamp. Apparent- : ly owing to the pot holes and loose metal, the car failed to respond to the steering wheel on a bend and plunged over the embankment into the swamp, j At this point the swamp is several . feet deep in water. With the first plunge the car fell on its side a.nd I was completely submerged, but it par- : tin-llv righted itself. This enabled Mr and Mrs Dwan to clamber out. The I two young children were in the back I seat at the time, asleep. All the disI tracted parents could see of one. child was his legs above the water. Grasping these they managed to pull him into safety. Finally the family regained the road drenched to the skin and suffering from shock and a few cuts from broken glass. The were taken back to Mercer, where hot baths, dry clothes and kindly attention soon restored them. Mr and Mrs Dwan were on a holiday trip from Wellington, and were on the way to Auckland. Everything they carried was soaked in swamp water, and dripping suitcases, overcoats and rugs testified to the damage done. They had a remarkably lucky escape from death. Had the accident occurred a fortnight ago, when the water in the swamp was four feet higher, loss of life would have been inevitable. The car was later pulled out of the swamp.