WAKANUI ROAD ACCIDENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9203, 30 April 1920, Page 4

WAKANUI ROAD ACCIDENT.

WELL-KNOW N ASHBURTONIANS KILLED. . A fatal motoring accident occurred on the Wakanui Road, near Mr Hunt's farm,. shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday, resulting in the death of Mr Frank Campbell, manager of the Ashburton branch of the"-New-Zealand'Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., and. Mr Hay Smith, sheep-dealer,, resident on the Seafield Road.

Messrs Smith and Campbell had motored out to look at some sheep feed in the Wakanui district yesterday,- and were motoring back* to .Ashburton, accompanied by Mr George Bramley, a returned soldier, when, in the locality mentioned, the car, owned and driven by Mr Smifch, became unmanageable. From the marks on th» road the car must have careered along the road for about three chains and then overturned. Mr Campbell was killed outright, and Mr Smith received severe injuries resulting in his death about five minutes after he waa admitted to the County Hospital. Mr Bramlev escaped apparently quite unhurt.

.The cause oi' the accident is'not quite elenr. It is thought the wheels of the car may have entered a rut. Certainly the steering-gear was found intact after the accident, hut the back wheel had collapsed, which would be sufficient to .account for the behaviourof the car. After overturning, the car apparently righted itself, and-- was found facing away from Ashburton, having turned right round. Mr "Hay Smith was 53 years of age, and was " born in Ashburton,' being a son of thf! late Mr Kay Smith, sen., one of the earliest settlers in the County. During the greater part of" his life Mr Smith engaged in the business of sheep-dealing, and latterly was agent and buyer for Armour and Co. , He was well known in sporting circles, and owned and raced trotting horses. Mr Smith leaves a wife and four sons, the youngest of .which is aged 19 years. Mr Frank Campbell has been manager of the Ashburton branch of the.'New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company for about three years, coming here from the- Wyndham ' branch of the same firm. He had been with the firm for about 13 or 14 years. Mr "Campbell was aged 37 years, and leaves a wife and a .daughter, aged eight years, to- mourn their loss.