TRAGEDY ON COAST

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 126, 23 December 1938, Page 2

TRAGEDY ON COAST

Leaving their cam]) near Omaio late yesterday afternoon by ear lor their Christmas holidays, tour Public Works employees met disaster when they were travelling; ‘’up the Muraeuiii. hill on the way to Opotiki. Lenving 'the road the car plunged aver the cliff and hurtled doiwn tin- slope to ccinc to rest against a tree about act) feet below the roadway, the car being only prevented from falling on the beach la-low by the tree. The men were thrown out of the car as it turned over and three were probably killed outright, while the other sustained injuries’. Kilted Charles Pi,'hard Norden, single, aged about s(i. hern in Finland. I* 111 Will’d (leorgo Asliicy, single, aged ,r,H. A brother of deceased’s resides «.t Ohnkune, Wanganui.

'flmnris Hughes. single, 41, born in Ireland. A brother resides'' in Napier. Injured. Kddie Hitcheiier, single, aged' 2(5, labourer of I<j Kara Street, Haiti, (iisborue, driver of tlm car. .Admitted to hospital, stilfering from . a broken a.rm. fractured ribs, abrasions and shock. The ear in which the men wore travelling was a Pontine (5-oylinder coupe 2-sen to i with dickey scat. The driver was accompanied by two. of the men, and the other was in the diekev scar.

The accident occurred shortly before dusk at a spot mid-way between Mr. Neal's and the cattle-stop on the road. The road at the spot is fair 1,, wide and there is only a slight bend. The car appeared to have travelled on (he wrong! side of the road before going over the side where then- was a slight break in the edge of Iho road Imm an old slio.

The first intimation that there bad been an accident was when Air. Hods, lorry driver, who was accompanied hv bis wile in a truck, saw a man crawling up the elifl, having ncnrlv got to, the to]). Air. Hods rendered what assistance lie could and Mrs. Pods went to the Public Works camp at Maraenui and informed the foreman, .Mr. W . Nelson of Hu* accident. The police at Opotiki were notified and Sergeant 0. Isbister. accompanied by Dr. H. J. Altai!, hospital superintendent, left lor the scene of tin 1 accident, arriving about 8 o’clock. Pesides tlm foreman at the Maraenui camp, there were only two other men in camp, the other workmen having, left lor their holidays. Air. Koopti and several other men. in all about twelve, assisted in tlm work of bringing the bodies ol the three workmen to the road.

The first body was found about 100 feet from the roadway, the second was dmvii a distance of 200 leet and the third was down about 2-">0 feet, being about, a chain, above the car. Wtyen examined the men were found to lie all dead, apparently having sullered head injuries, causing instantaneous death.

The driver of the. ear. Mr. iljli Imoer. was brought, ifito Opotiki where lie was admitted to hospital.

Owing to the steepness of the cliif, the work of bringing up the bodies, proved to he a very lengthy and arduous one. Long ropes were secured from the Public Works Camp and the hoilies were drawn up the face of the hill hy this means. The last body was not brought up to the. road until ahout 2 o’clock this morning. The bodies were brought intoi Opo'liki by the police and taken to the morgue at the hospital.

CAR FALLS 300 FEET THREE MEN KILLED ' . , ... . , - ' ) DRIVER RECEIVES INJURIES

JNQITkisT OI’KNKD . • ADJOFItXKD SINK DIF, The inquest on tin* victims ol the accident was op’ened at the Opotiki Courthouse this afternoon before the district ■ coroner, Air. F. .J. Short. Surgeapt J. Isbister coudueti-d proceodyigs on behalf of the police. .Mr. \Y. Nelson. P.W.I). foreman, stated that he, )md -57 men under him. lie identified the bodies of tlm deceased. Yesterday the men were due to finish work at 4 p.m. At 7.fUV last night Mi's. Dodds' informed him that a ear had gone over the ha.nk at Mara emit hill, lie saw Hilciu-ner walking up flic cliff. Mr. Dodds said, two of the men appeared he dead and one was dying. He eo'inmunieated, with the pbliciv from Houpoto. When witness went down the cliff l lie Tound Chas. Norden lying ninoing, the fern. He found Ashley next and then ho found Hughes who also appeared to be dead. The ear was completely smashed up. lie know the deceased’ men well and all were decent coder men. They would have no oiiportunity to procure liquor if they knocked off work when stated.

Air. H. Howland, storeman employed by the P.W.I). at Maraenui, said, lie went to the scene of the accident. N(>rd(>n was not dead then and he lifted him and made him as eomfortabli’i as possible. He assisted to firing the bodies ’to the road later in the night: 'The men were all leaving that night for their holidays. Hughes was the owner of the car hut Kitchener usually did the driving. Air. I). W. .Dodds, lorry driver, employed by Alessrs. Drake Pros., said ho was carting lime and at 7.M0 last bight met a man all covered with blood at the top of the road. ‘1 be. man said a car had gone over the hank and lie was going for Pill Nelson’s for help. He 'could sec Hitcheiier was not lit to go ami put him in front of the lorry and witness’ wife went lor help. He went down the cliff to see; what had' happened to the oifhcr occupants. He went down TOO • loot and found Norden lying in the Hern. He was quite conscious and said, “How .

mu I going to get out of this”. Norden tried to get up, but lay back but was still conscious. He lelt him and went further down the cliff, and found Ashley. IL* was unconscious but was still alive. He went down a further 100 feet and found Hughes in the fern. lie was unconscious but still appeared to be alive. The car was lying smashed up 100 leet further down. Witness returned to Ashley who appeared to be sinking. He was unconscious and died shortly he to re Air. Nelson returned from ringing the police and a doctor. Witness then went to where, Norden was. He thought Norden was the last to die. Dr. Mail took Hitcheiier hack to Opotiki, and witness assisted the police to haul the dead bodies to the top of tlm cliff. All the men were steady ami reliable .men and none was addicted to drink as far a.s he knew. The police stated that further evidence' would bo called when the driver of the car was lit again and the coroner adjourned the inquest sine die.