STOLEN CAR DAMAGED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 133, 18 March 1931, Page 5

STOLEN CAR DAMAGED

DRIVEN INTO A TRAIN. STRANGE STORY OF, A "LIFT." (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, March 17. \ About an hour and a half-after it had been stolen from the city this afternoon, a motor-car collided lab a crossing north of Paekakariki with the south-bound express from New Plymouth. The occupant of the car disappeared over a near-by hill immediately after the accident, but returned later,'saving that he was one of three in the car, and had been given a lift. • ~., The affair was described as a .bit of a mystery" by a Paekakariki, resident. The collision occurred, at McKay's Crossing, north of Paekakariki, just after 5 p.m., and the car struck the second coach on the train, \W#£W the train had come to a standstill, its crew returned to find out how ' the driver had fared', but the man got out of the car before the railwaymen reached it, and went off in another direction without making any explanation. The front of the car was badly damaged. t The train resumed its journey, anil the damaged carriage was put off at Paekakariki. Subsequently the railway authorities learned that the man had returned to Paekakariki, about an hour later, and had given his name, and said that he bad been given a lift by two other people in the car. Later still it was reported to the railway that the car had the same description and number as a car belonging to Mr William Howard TuTey, of Wellington, 'which had been stolen from Courtenay Place, it was understood at Paekakariki this evening that the only eye-witness of the accident was a small boy, who had seen one person in the car, who- disappeared over the hill. The man left for Wellington on the train, which arrived late tonight, and is understood to have been met by detectives at Johnsonville. ACCUSED OF, CONVERSION. A YOUNG MAN REMANDED. WELLINGTON, This Day. The collision hetween a man and a motor-car near Paikakariki yesterday had its sequel in Court to-day, when Eric .lolin Bonner, aged 23, a grocer, was charged with having converted to his own use a car, valued at £265, tho property of A. W. Howard Tilley. A remand until March 25 was granted the police, intimating that further inquiries have to be made.