BUS AND TRUCK COLLIDE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26523, 11 September 1951, Page 6

BUS AND TRUCK COLLIDE

One Killed, Eight Injured

ACCIDENT ON LEWIS PASS ROAD

When a Newman Bret. Ltd., paasenger tnu and a leaded shingle Iraek collided en the Lewis Pam read, near the Hamner IpHnga turn off. about 11.46 am. yesterday, one passenger was killed and eight others were injured. The man killed was:— Henry Cowdery, hotelkeeper, of Bnghtwater, Nelson. The injured are:— Mim Kathleen Bealey, of 7 Domett street, Christchurch, nip injuries. Michael Smith, of Rotherham, fractured left leg. Martin J. Hill, of Te Awamutu, both legs fractured. Miss Susan Sutherland, of 82 Forfar street, Christchurch, fractured hip. Mn E. Wallace, of 556 Highgate street, Dunedin, fractured left leg. These five were brought to Christchurch by St. John Ambulance and admitted to the Public Hospital. Miss Besley was later discharged. The condition of the other injured persons was satisfactory last evening. The other injured are:— Donald Haggitt of Gore, slight nose injuries. Mrs Beatson, of Ngatimoti, Nelson, leg injuries. Mr C. Patterson-Rome, of "Lochiel,” Hanmer Springs, scalp wounds. All the injured were treated at the Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs. The bus, which carried 17 passengers, including pupils and teachers returning to Nelson College after the holidays, was on its way from Christchurch to Nelson by the Lewis Pass route. The collision occurred on a narrow part of the road close to the Wslau river about a mile and a quarter on the Lewis Pass side of the Hanmer Springs turn off.

Hole Tom in Bus The protruding deck of the truck caught the side of the bus and tore a hole in it about six ar eight feet long. Mr Cowdery and the injured passengers are said to have been sitting on that side of the bus. All the passengers were taken to Hanmer Springs and a relief bus was sent from Christchurch about 5 p.m. to pick up those passengers who wished to continue the journey. Mr J. Storer, manager at Christchurch for Newman Bros., Ltd., went to Hanmer Springs immediately he was notified of the accident, to make any necessary inquiries and arrangements. The driver of the bus, Mr R. Murray, 'and the driver of the truck, Mr J. Scott, of Hanmer Springs, were shaken but not injured, The truck is owned by Mocketts Motors, Ltd. Constables A. V. Beattie, of Hanmer Springs, and J. H. Burrell, of Culverden, went to the scene of the accident. Traffic each way was kept moving slowly past. The bus and truck were not removed until late in the afternoon.

CAR FALLS OVER • CLIFF

YOUNG MAN FATALLY INJURED

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 10. A young man was fatally injured when his car ran off Onslow road and crashed 200 feet almost On to the road beneath shortly before 10 a.m. to-day. He was: Frank Wallace Groves, aged 19, an accountant, of Avion road. Blue Mountains, Upper Hutt. He was taken by ambulance to the Wellington Public Hospital with severe head and leg injuries, and he died shortly before 5 p.m. The light saloon car he was travelling in was completely wrecked. A witness said the car ran off the toad on to the bank, which is covered with shingle, grass, and gorse, and then fell down the cuff, hitting it only once on the way down. Passers-by took Mr Groves from the wreckage before the ambulance arrived. It was able to stop on the lower road within 15 yards of him.

CAR STRIKES BRIDGE

DRIVER KILLED, AND PASSENGER INJURED

(New Zealand Press Association)

MASTERTON, September 10. The driver was killed instantly and a passenger suffered multiple injuries when a car etruck the end of a bridge between the Gladstone store and the Gladstone school at S a.tn. yesterday. The driver was

Selwyn Ashley Jeffcoat, aged 24, a painter, of Masterton. The passenger was Marmaduke (Joe) Leighton, aged 48 years, a brewery worker, of Masterton. Mr Leighton’s condition was satisfactory to-day. The car was returning to Masterton when the accident occurred. The running rail of the bridge transfixed the car and suspended it. The heavy concrete moulding at the end of the bridge was shattered and the ear was extensively damaged.

CHILD DROWNED

Richard James Petrie, a son of Mr and Mrs James Petrie, aged 17 months, was drowned in a water trough on his father’s farm at Coldstream, near Rangiora, about 4.30 p.m. yesterday. Dr. A, P. Cotter, of Rangiora, was called and applied artificial respiration to the child, but was unsuccessful.