BOY DRIVER KILLED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27909, 5 March 1956, Page 10

BOY DRIVER KILLED

MIDGET RACING CAR OVERTURNS ACCIDENT DURING DEMONSTRATION The nine-year-old driver of a midget racing car suffered fatal injuries while giving a demonstration at the Rakaia Car Club’s meeting at Rakaia on Saturday. He was: William James Philp, a son of Mr W. L. Philp, 53 Burnside road, Christchurch.

The boy, who was wearing a crash helmet, was driving around the Rakaia race track in a powered midget car believed to have been built by his father, when the car got out of control and overturned. He was rushed to the Ashburton Public Hospital suffering from head injuries. He died the same evening. Billy Philp had been the mascot for the Christchurch speedway team since he was three years old. He used to ride a miniature motor-cycle at the Aranui Soeedway while leading the team oh the track. When he returned from leading the teams he recited poetry over the microphone or sang.

Billy Philp used to dress in exactly the sarhe attire as the speedway riders. He wore a tiny helmet, skid boots, leathers and red and black colours. He made more than 100 appearances with the Christchurch team. When speed cars were introduced at Aranui, a midget speed car was made for the mascot.

Recently he has driven in ultramidget car races. A friend of the Philp family, Mrs R. Maugher, said last night that the ultramidgets would travel at speeds up to 35 or 40 miles an hour. She said:

“Billy Philp was the most loved personality at the speedway.” An inquest opened by the Ashburton Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst) on Saturday evening, was adjourned sine die after evidence of identification had been given. MAN KILLED ON FARM CHILD KEEPS VIGIL BY BODY (New Zealand Press Association) GORE, March 4. A four-year-old child was found sitting beside the body of his father on Friday, several hours after he had been killed in an accident with a bulk lime sower. The dead man was Robert Martin Voigt, of Main street. Gore, who was employed by a bulk lime sowing contractor, Mr R. G. Whitefield.

The body was found about 9 p.m. on Friday on the property of Mr H. J. Thayer, Merino Downs, but it is thought that the accident occurred about 9.30 a.m. yesterday. Mr Voigt had left Gore yesterday morning with a load of lime to spread on Mr Thayer’s property. When the body was found, it was apparent that he had just begun sowing at the time of the mishap. The body was found on a hillside and the lime sower was resting about 300 yards away at the bottom of the hill.

Mr Voigt’s small son was not injured.

MOTORIST FATALLY INJURED (New Zealand Press Association) HASTINGS, March 4. When a car struck a telephone pole on the main south highway near the Te Aute Hotel at 2.5 a.m. today, the only occupant suffered fatal injuries. He was James Gilbert Waretini, aged 19, of Te Hauke. WOMAN INJURED When two cars collided on the corner of Colombo and Canon streets late on Saturday afternoon, a woman was injured. She is Mrs E. M. Griffiths, sen., of 22 Squire street. St. Albans. She was taken by St. John ambulance to the Christchurch Public Hospital, where she was admitted at 4.55 p.m. Her condition was reported last night as satisfactory. MAN CRUSHED BY TRUCK A man was injured when his truck moved forward and pinned him against a telegraph pole at Kaiapoi on Saturday. He is Clarence McElwain, of Main North road, Kaiapoi. It is understood that he cranked the vehicle while it was in gear. He was taken to the Christchurch Public Hospital and admitted. His condition was later reported as satisfactory.