Five Young Men Killed In Road Accident

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 12

Five Young Men Killed In Road Accident

(HZ. Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, November 12. Five young men were killed m the worst road smash in Manawatu for many years when two cars collided on the Palmerston North-Shannon highway, near Tokomaru, about 7 o’clock on Saturday night. Those killed were all single men.

They were:— Euan Osbourne, aged 22, of Railway road, Linton, an employee of a Palmerston North well-drilling firm. Mr Osbourne’s home town was Dunedin. . K lan Graham Tippler, aged 22, a mechanic, whose address was Club Hotel, Shannon. Desmond George Pratt, aged 30, a box company machine operator, of Thompson street, Shan, non. Charles Arthur Hannam, aged 21. a carpenter and joiner, of Nathan terrace. Shannon. Robin Peter Robbie, aged 20, a painter, of Shannon. The smash left no survivors to tell what happened, and there were no witnesses, but it appeared that the larger car, a recent American model in which four of the men were travelling, was proceeding towards Shannon.

The smaller English car, driven by Mr Osbourne, was travelling towards Palmerston North when the accident occurred. The four men ih the larger car were killed instantane. ously and Mr Osbourne, who was travelling alone in the other car was unconscious when taken from his vehicle, and died while being taken to the • Palmerston North Hospital, The wreckage had to be cut apart with hacksaws before the four bodies could be removed from the larger car. The larger car, struck on the left side, was practically cut in half, and reduced to a twisted mass of metal. The other car was also badly wrecked, the engine being pushed back into the driver’s seat. ' , The wreckage, the worst yet seen in Palmerston North, drew crowds to the police yard throughout today, and traffic jams occurred at several times during the day.