SEVERAL DEATHS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 304, 26 December 1939, Page 4

SEVERAL DEATHS.

WEEK-END TOTAL.

TOLL OF ROAD AND SEA.

ACCIDENTS IN DOMINION. Many accidents occurred in the Dominion during the Christmas holiday week-end. Fatalities were considerably greater in number than usually occur during a week-end, and tlieie weie several pases of persons 'being gra\cly injured. With ideal weather conditions both sea and road took their toll, though there were remarkably few mUhaps in the Auckland city area.

TWO MEN KILLED

Two motor cyclists were killed and two pillion riders injured in a collision which occurred between Te Aroha and Matamata last night. Ihe \ictimw were: — Killed. Mr. Frederick Albert Stokes, storeman, of Craddock Street, Avondale. Mr. Colin Brick, aged 21, dairy factory employee, of Te Aroha. Injured. Miss Ellen Campbell, probationary nurse, of Matamata; condition very critical. Mr. Harold Clarke, railway employee, of Matamata; condition not serious. 0 Travelling along Alexandra Road from Te Aroha to Matamata, the motor cycle, which Mr. Stokes was riding, with Mr. Clarke on the pillion seat, was involved in a head-on collision about 10 miles from Te Aroha with another motor cycle ridden by Mr. Brick, who had Mis-s Campbell on the pillion Seat. Mr. Stokes died almost immediately, and the death of Mr. Brick occurred in the j ambulance on the way to the hospital. I

TOUNG MEN'S DEATH.

A motor cyclist and a pillion rider were killed instantly at 11 o'clock .yesterday morning when their vehicle and a five-seater sedan car collided on % hi:l on the Howk-u highway, two miles north of Papakurta. The victims were: Mr. John Eastwood, ag?d 23, labourer, of I, Hopetoun -Street, Newton. Mr. John A. Wallace, aged about 24, gardener, of 50, Opawa Koad, <! hristchurch. Both men were stajing at a Bible Class camp at Buekland's Beach and were returning to the city. The car was being driven to Buekland's Beach from the city by Mr. William Walmsley, of 01, Mokoia Road, Birkenhead. With hun was his wife, and Mr. and Mrs. J. Birehall, and their five-y'ear-old son, all of the same address. The ciasli of the impact was heard by a young man living 200 yards away, who rushed to the brow of the hill and saw a motof car against a bank at the right-hand side of the road. A little to the rear were the bodies of the two men. One had been flung 15 feet and the other several feet from the point of impact. Parts of the cycle were strewn among the grass near the bank. Those in the car received first-aid from .St. John ambulance men, who were soon- on the scene. Mr. Walmsley suffered a cut arm and his wife was cut about the face. The others escaped injury.

PLUNGE TO DEATH.

One man was fatally injured and his companion was injured in the early hours of Sunday morning when their oar left the I'O?.! and shot over a 400 ft cliff into the K&ikoura creek, says a Press Association message from Gisborne. Killed. Mr. Leslie Trevor Moore, aged 23, single, lorry driver, of Tiniroto. Injured. Mr. Leonard Naylor, aged 45, station hand, of Tiniroto. 9 The accident fanned 35 miles from Gisborne. on the Gisborne-Wairoa highway. The men had spent Saturday evening in Gisborne and were returning home when the accident occurred. Mr. Moore died in the. hospital. The condition of Mr. Naylor is not serious.

BATHER DROWNED,

One bather was drowned and several others found themselves in difficulties while swimming at Waitarere Beach, near Palnierston North, on Sunday afternoon. The victim was:— Mr. Joseph Annesley Shekleton, aged 35i married, of Pahiatua. Mr. Shekleton was bathing with his brother-in-law, Mr. Edward Swainson, of Feilding, when both men, who were bey*>nd the main body of bathers, found themselves in difficulty. Mr. Swainson reached the chore in an exhausted condition, but a search for Mr. Shekleton. in which an aeroplane from the Ohakea aerodrome participated, was unsuccessful. Shortly afterwards there was a call for assistance about a mile further down the beach, where three bathers, Miss Muriel Lockyer, aged 19, of Palnierston North, her brother, Frank Lockyer. and Mr. Allan Anderson; had been drawn out by the undertow. Frank Lockyer reached the shore, while Mr. Anderson stayed with the <nrl rwo young men went to their aid and helped them ashore, by which time Miss Lockyer was on the verge of collapse, while one of the rescuers also needed medical attention.

CYCLIST'S DEATH,

Fatal injuries were suffered bv Mr James Cowden, aged 64, when he feli from a bicycle in Antigua Street on Saturday night, says a Press Association message from Christchurch. Mr. Cowden who was married, lived at 22, Ward Street, Addington.

SEAMAN'S SPINAL INJURY.

A Wellington seaman, staying with friends at Papakura, suffered severe spinal injuries early on Sunday morninoas the result of a fall from"an unpe? storey window. He is Mr. Albert Ahvvn McSweeney aged 25. He was attended , \ , W. Lock, of Pagakura, and taken by ijt. John ambulance to the Auckland Hospital. His condition is not serious.

HATMAKIK& ACCIDENT.

Severe bruises and cuts were suffered by Mr. George Jamieson, aged 62, a well known Horotiu farmer, when he wa« run over by a wheel of a mower while haymaking during the week-end. He was taken to the Waikato Hospital.

MAORI SERIOUSLY HURT.

As a result of a fall from a lorry at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Camerion Road, Tauranga, an elderly Maori, Mr. Tim Waitara, suffered a fracture and dislocation of the spine. Ha was taken to hospital, his condition being. serious.

boy bather, disappears.

While bathing at the Hole-in-the Wall on Sunday, Douglas Brown aged nine disappeared and is presumed to have been drowned, says a Press Association message from Gisborne. The police dragged the river throughout the afternoon and life-savers dived unsuccessfully.

The boy was not seen in difficulties.

YOUTH DROWNED.

Albert Edward Collins, aged IP. wa* drowned in the Ruamahanga River, near Featherston, on Sunday. He was bathing with a companion and got out of his depth, says a Press Association message from Masterton.

CANOEING FATALITY.

! Wlien a canvas beach canoe capsized in the surf at St. Kikla on Sunday at about i p.m., throwing: the four occupants into a heavy surf. Mi-. George Charles Burns, of 21, Jackson Street, a steel sashmaker, aged 20 years, who was unable to swim, was caught by the tidal rip and drowned, says a Press Association messags from Dunedin. His three companions, two of whom were swimmers, struggled ashore with the aid of the beach patrol. Mr. Burns and three others, Messrs. Stanley Gordon, Arthur' Mclndoe and Alfred Mackie, went to the beach at about 10.45 a.m. The party went out to White Island fishing, and all Wfnt well until they were returning shortly before 1 p.m. At this time there was a strong north-west wind and the surf - was running high. When the canoe was between 100 and 2QO yards out it wis .. caught broadside by a large ware *nd overturned. Members of the St. Rilda Surf Ctob ran along the boach and gave what assistance they could, but they were unable to locate Mr. Burns, whose body lias not vet been recovered.