Eight Killed In Worst Christmas On Roads

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30633, 26 December 1964, Page 1

Eight Killed In Worst Christmas On Roads

Eight persons were killed and 12 seriously injured on New Zealand roads from Christmas Eve till late last night, the Press Association reports. Many others suffered minor injuries. “This is the worst Christmas road toll in New Zealand’s history,” said the Traffic Superintendent of the Transport Department (Mr J. C. C. Edwards).

“Unless road users exercise much more care and commonsense, many more lives will be lost before the end of the year.” The previous blackest period for fatal road accidents at Christmas was in 1962, when six were killed.

In the Wellington area the period was one of the best on record. No fatal road accidents were reported.

Up to last night road deaths for the year totalled 424. The second highest figure was recorded in 1962 when there were 398.

Speeding in built up areas was evident throughout most parts of the country, said Mr Edwards. It was the department’s main complaint. Heavy traffic was evident on the roads last night and is expected to be heavy again today. Struck By Car A man walking across Victoria street, Rangiora, at 1.40 am. yesterday suffered fatal injuries when struck by a car. He was David Leslie Inns, aged 25, single, a workman, of Main road, Southbrook. Mr Inns was taken to the Christchurch Hospital by ambulance. He died at 11.30 a.m. The car was driven by Kenneth John Jones, of 13 Wesley street, Kaiapoi. Two Killed Two youths were killed and two injured, one critically, when the car in which they were travelling crashed into the parapet of a concrete bridge at Oromahoe, Northland, about 4.30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. One of the youths killed was Winston Tane, aged 19, a forest worker at Kaingaroa forest, Rotorua. He was the driver of the car. The other victim, who was sitting in the front seat alongside the driver, has not yet been identified. Ben Waiomio, aged 18, a workman, of Pahia, is in Whangarei Hospital in a critical condition with internal injuries. Matthew Ririkope, aged 19, a forestry worker, of Waitangi, is also in the Whangarei Hospital. The latest report says he is out of danger. Died Of Injuries A motor-cyclist died in Tauranga Hospital yesterday from injuries received when his machine got out of control at Te Puna. He was Barry Edward Booth, aged 20, a commercial traveller, of 19 Turrett road, Tauranga. Car Struck Pole

A woman died of injuries when a car collided with a pole at the corner of Newton road and Regent street, Auckland, about 1 a.m. on Christmas Day- She was Miss Diane Stevenson, aged 21, a hairdresser, of 15 Clarke street, Tauranga.

The other occupant of the car, ffarrington Ranulf Power, aged 25, an estate agent, of 26 Owens road, Epsom, was

treated at Auckland Hospital for minor injuries and discharged. Collision On Bridge A man was killed when his car and a bus collided near the top of the Auckland harbour bridge at 5.15 p.m. on Thursday. The resulting traffic jam took half an hour to clear. The dead man was Frank Buchan de Laurier, aged 55, married, a cranedriver, of 6 Valley road, Birkenhead. He was the only occupant of the car. No-one in the bus, owned by Birkenhead Transport, Ltd., and driven by Mr J. Wade, of Oban avenue, Birkenhead, was hurt. The bus was travelling toward the city in the lane beside the rail when it was hit by the car which veered across the road. A huge traffic build-up resulted in spite of the prompt arrival of bridge control officers. To the north cars were banked up 100 yards past the toll plaza, and into Fanshawe street on the city side. Child Killed

A two-year-old boy who suffered head injuries when he was knocked down by a car near his home in Gilbert road, Otara, Auckland, at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, died in Auckland Hospital on Christmas Day- He was Tamati Porter, son of Mr and Mrs T. Porter, of 76 Gilbert road, utara. Died In Hospital A boy died in Napier Hospital one and a half hours after a three-car collision near Awatoto on the main Napier-Hastings road at 10.15 p.m. on Christmas Eve. He was: Clive Bartlett, aged 16, of Clive. He was the driver of one of the cars. Of the nine occupants of the three cars, seven were admitted to hospital.

The condition of the other six is reported to be satisfactory. Bartlett’s car was overturned by the impact and the second vehicle ran off the road. The third car crashed into one of the damaged vehicles. Drowned In River A boy was drowned yesterday in the Manawatu river near Dannevirke. He was: Warren Bruce Cooper, aged 10, son of Mr and Mrs Reginald Cooper, of 17 Christian street, Dannevirke.

Fatal Shock A man working on his boat at 27 Junction road, Paeroa, last night was killed by a shock he received from an electric drill. He was: Franciscus Cornelius Portegys, aged 24, a machine operator, of the Stevenson settlement, Kopuka, 13 miles from Pokeno.