SHOCKING CAR TRAGEDY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2924, 18 August 1925, Page 2

SHOCKING CAR TRAGEDY

AT RANGIOTU BRIDGE.

MOTHER AND TWO SONS DROWNED.

A terrible fatality occurred at Rangiotu on Sunday night, when a car containing Mr. C. IT. Withers, plumber, Palmerston North, his wife and two children, broke through the fence bordering the bridge, which spans the Oroua River lliere, and plunged into (he swollen waters. Mr Withers managed to get clear of the car. but the others were drowned. The fatality occurred at about 9.30 p.in. when Mr Withers and his family were returning in his car. a new five-sealer Chandler, from Wellington, whither they had journeyed on Saturday to visit the Fleet. They were accompanied on the way by a car containing Mr. W. Kilpatrick, his wife and friends, also of Palmerston North. The latter ear preceded the other, and passed over the bridge. Shortly afterwards, Mr Kilpatrick noticed that the lights of the other car were no longer visible. He waited fur live minutes and 1 Don went back.

Upon arriving again at the bridge, it was found that Mr Withers had mistaken the approach, and the car had broken through the protecting fence and fallen over a steep bank about 181't. 'into the river, which at this point is about 12ft. deep. After the car entered the swiftmnving waters, Mr. Withers miraculously managed to get out of the bridge and was found by a local resident, who had heard the crash, clinging to the willows on the bank, jibout 15 or 20 feet down from where the car entered the river. Mr 11. E. A. Richards, an employee at tin- Rangiotu cheese factory, was attracted by the crash, and was lirsl on the scene. Hanging to the .side, Alt'. Withers cried out for someone to save his wife and children. lie was dragged to land bv tin- residents, who had difficulty in restraining him plunging back in a forlorn hope of rescue. Air. Ray Parkinson, of Longburn, then dived into (he river in an endeavour to locate the submerged <nr. but bis efforts were fruitless. All the side curtains of the car being ill use, thus imprisoning the occupants, escape lor them was practically impossible. A detachment of police from Palmerston North was soon on the scene and I,cut iheir energies on recovering the car which owing to the muddy state of the river and the depth of water, could not he seen. The rapid current impeded progress, but nt 11.-M0 p.m. the car was located on the lower or south side ot the bridge, to which point it had drifted. The vehicle was then anchored to the bank with ropes to prevent its drifting further and activities were suspended for the night, there being no chance at the time of recovering the bodies in the darkness.

Mrs Kilpatrick had a very narrow <scape from sharing the fate of Mrs Withers and children. Upon ix-tuning the journey home after a slop at Paraparaumu, Mr. Withers invited her to occupy the rear seat of his car. Providentially Airs Kilpal rick declined.

I.atcr details show I hat Mr and Mrs Withers proceeded as far as Plimmerton on Saturday, where they stayed overnight with Air. Wither.-’ brother and wife, and yesterday the whole party visited Wellington to see the American war-

ships. (in returning they called in again iii Plimmerton, where the brother and his wife were dropped.

.Mrs Withers and one boy occupied tile hack seats while the other lad -;ii alongside his father in front until some little time further on in the journey, on his complaining of the cold, I lie father wrapped him in

a rug and put him in the back seal alongside ihe others. It was in (his fashion that the parties were sealed when the tragedy occurred and Mr. Withers has an idea that both hoys were asleep. lIOW TUB ACCIDENT HAPPENED.

An idea of how easily the aeci«it*>ii happened can be gained by a visit to the locality, and an understanding of Hit: relationship of the concrete road bridge and the railwax- bridge, which is not move Llia.ii I (oi yards away from ii. The concrete bridge is a fairly recent strueiare and prior to its erection, road tratlic crossed the river by means of a wooden bridge which existed between the railway and the present concrete structure. The position of the new bridge necessitated a slight, turn in the road to the right on the mu from Buxton to Palmerston North, but the danger does not lie so much in the turn as in the fact, that in approaching the bridge, lights from a car shining on the upper structure of tile railway bridge, makes it appear as if the crossing was straight ahead. This is also accentuated by the fact that the sides of the concrete bridge are very low and almost invisible until one is close up to them.

Air. Withers stated, that lie was completely deceived and when he realised his mistake endeavoured to pull up and for the moment thought tlie wooden protection fence would hold the car when, he struck if as lie was not travelling fast. Unfortunately, it did not and the ’car crashed through. The late Airs Withers was a daughter of one of the earliest Palmerston North settlers (Air Heaton) and had lived practically all her life in this district. She and her sisters were xvell-known in Palmerston N. and were always held in the high-

est esteem by a wide circle friends. Both boys were bright and promising, the elder. Jack, being in his twelfth year, when little Len had just reached school age.

FUTILE SEARCH FOR BODIES.

CAR RAISED WITH LIGHTS

STILL BURNING

When Air. C. 11. Withers’ car was raised from the Oroua river-bed at Rangiotu yesterday morning, theie were no signs of the bodies ot his wife and two boys, drowned in the shocking tragedy of Sunday night. The curtains were down on one side and though they may have been burst away by the force of the current, the opinion is now held that Airs. Withers and the boys were out of the car as soon as the survivor of the disaster.

The ear was found to be lying across stream, on its wheels, but it had turned right round. The lights were still burning. A handwinch was used to raise the car, in the hack of which the luggage was found, but none ot the bodies. This proved contrary to the expectations of the police and settlers, who were on the scene at dawn and all of whom continued the search throughout the day. the river being dragged for a long distance without result. The stream is still mudd\ mol swollen but operations were resumed earlv this morning.

The ear was taken into Palmerston North yesterday.