MOTOR GAR SINKS IN DEEP WATER.

Otaki Mail, 15 September 1922, Page 4

MOTOR GAR SINKS IN DEEP WATER.

SEVEN MEN'S FIGHT FOR LIFE. A remarkable accident, in which seven men barely escaped with their lives, occurred on Sunday, August, 5, at the Nausori crossing of the Rewa ISlver (says the Suva correspondent of the New Zealand Herald). Ml C. H. Honsim .managing director of Jang ili'ii.; Loong Company, the largest iJiiiim merchants in Fiji, with live oj ins employees, arrived at the pon-to-iu from Suva in a .motor-car driven liy an Indian. Another car was on tho pontoon ahead of them. Wljen die pontoon readied the other side the first car got oil, and the Indian driver started his car to follow. The man had left his gear in reverse, and without warning the car shot, over the bock, into 'Joii ol water. The gate ol ihe ijonioon (which should have been shut; was open. Owing to wet weaiher the hood was up and the curtains fastened down. The struggle below was a fierce one lor very life. The five employees and the Indian could swim. Frantically they tore the L'urtuins open, even breaking pan ol in;: hood, in (he mad struggle to escape, Mr flonson, who could not swim, had a wonderful escape. He -aid he groped about till he found a hole, made by his fellows, and pulled himself through. As he did so his baud came in contact with a. small wooden lid Irom the seat of the mo-tor-car, and this giving the necessary buoyancy, he gradually rose to the surface. He was sinking again, when he was seized by a native who had dived to bis assistance, and was brought ashore and very soon recovered sufficiently to continue his journey. The car was brought ashore by some ~0 natives, who are expert divers. Mr Ilonson uuite seriously said he had been under water for -0 minutes