RACING CAR SMASHED

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1927, Page 9

RACING CAR SMASHED

WOMAN PASSENGER KILLED^

FOUR MEN HURT—TWO 5

SERIOUSLY*

PRIVATE CAR DASHES ON" COURSE^

WARNING CRIES UNHEEDED., (Bj Telegraph.—Own Correspondent^ KAITAIA, this d«J-X One woman was killed and four meat were injured, two seriously, in an extra—; ordinary aor 3 dent 011 the Ninety Mile>Beach yesterday afternoon. In tbe middle of a race, when a com— J , peting car was turning, a private car„ despite the warning cries of the crowdy crashed into it. The victims are:— KILLED. ELIZABETH SPENDER, wife of JJrJj Paul Spender, garage proprietor, orh Rawene. Death was instantaneous, iier 1 neck and back being broken. SERIOUSLY INJURED. * REGINALD MOLLOY, barman, Kaikoh© Hotel, injuries to head. GEORGE WASHINGTON' MOORE, en-, gineer, Kaitaia, broken left arm and' severe cute about the bead. INJURED. HERBERT HASSINGDON KITZHKRBERT, mechanic, employed by Mr.TSpender, minor injuries and chock. VICTOR FERDINAND garage proprietor, of Kaikohe, severe)-, bruises. Mns. Spender's body was removed to»' the church at Kaitaia. Mollov and Moore were taken ta>' Maunganui Hospital, and to Hokianga Hospital, where be is progressing favourably, although he is still!* suffering'from shock. How It Happened. The story of the tragedy, simplv told,) is that when the raoe, an Open Handi-' cap, started, Eisenhurt, Molloy audi Moore walked back to the enclosure t®j a Hudson car, and no one, certainly of tbe officials, had the remotest idea, that a catastrophe was imminent. Fitzherbert, driving a Dort car owned by Mr. J. Andrews, had Mrs. Spenderwith him as a passenger. He was juste making the second turn when, from th» opposite direction loomed the Hudsoit 1 car, which was driven by Eisenhurt Immediately it was seen approaching, the officials and the large crowd yelled? to it to stop. Mr. J. T. B. Taaffe, wbo> officiated as flagsman at the start, rushed: out in the way of the on rushing car witic his flag hoisted as a signal to stop andl ( there were yells of "Stop, stop! ® r , Mr. Taaffe narrowly missed being ruo, down, and yells of horror came from tho' large crowd when it was obvious that; nothing could prevent a disaster. The. big Hudson hit the Dort amidships, where Mrs. Spender was sitting. Atl once there was an explosion, and thai body of the Dort, torn from its chassis,: was hnrled into the air. The Hudson,' too, left the ground, turned over in the. I air, and crashed. There was a terrify-.! ing scene of whirling motor parts and : human bodies. A woman fainted. The crowd surged forward, but, although they were the only two police officers . in attendance. Constable Bise-ctt and his assistant maintained excellent order, and there were many willing helpers to give succour to the unfortunate victims.

Woman Fatally Hurt

Dr. If. G. Rix. of Kaitaja, gave attention at once to Mrs. Spendef, but nothing - , could be done for her and she died almost at once. She leaves a young family of two boys and a girl. Fortunately, despite the explosion, neither car caught fire. Moore, in addition to having a broken, left arm, was badly cut about the head,,' as the result of being thrown through.! the windscrecn when the impact or-) currod. His escape from fatal injuriesappears miraculous, for when Le was: rescued his head was between the springs : of the car, which leapt in the air fully' 10 feet when the explosion took place. Molloy was unconscious when taken to*' hospital- It is feared that the back of J h* head is seriously injured. Eisenhurt was not seriously but he was badly bruised. Another Car Escaped. But for a fortunate circumstance, w, tJiird car might have been involved i»" the t-marii. Earlier in the race a Chrysler. driven by C. Burnett, was ra,cin£ •, beside the Dort, but it lost ground at the )irst tu<-n. An inquest was opened night respecting the death of Mrs. Spender, but after tiie evidence of identifier !.«» been given it was adjourned sine die.