TWO DEATHS BRING ROAD TOLL TO 426

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30634, 28 December 1964, Page 1

TWO DEATHS BRING ROAD TOLL TO 426

(Neu? Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 27.

Two more fatal road accidents since Saturday brought the New Zealand black Christmas holiday toll to 10 dead and the total for the year to 426.

Eight persons were injured, two seriously, in week-end motoring accidents.

Traffic officers have been ordered to clamp down on drivers jeopardising lives, because of the alarming road deaths since Christmas Eve. the Commissioner of Transport (Mr R. J. Polaschek) said this evening.

Most of the accidents were the result of motorists’ neglect to observe even the elementary rules of the road.

“In every case no allowance is being given to the offenders where traffic officers have noted senseless drivingThe shocking loss of life on the roads over the last three days should serve as a warning to all people,” Mr Polaschek said.

Up to tonight, 426 people have died this year from road accidents. The previous worst year was 1962, when 398 people died. Last year the toll was 394.

Wellington district kept its good holiday record with no road deaths. Taranaki. Waikato, Dunedin and Christchurch road areas were also free. Since Christmas Eve, 2112 offence tickets have been issued. Included were 20 arrests for intoxication.

Keys were taken from 106 persons considered unfit from drinking. More than 15.000 drivers have been checked by microwave and hundreds given written and . verbal warnings. Rider Killed

The rider of a motor-scooter died on the way to Whangarei Hospital after a collision with a caravan on the Brynderwyn deviation, south of Waipu, on Saturday. He was Terrence Gailey Snell, aged 29, commercial cleaner, of Beach road, Onerahi. Car Rolled

A young Gisborne schoolteacher died in hospital at 1 a.m. today from injuries suffered when she was thrown from a car which got out of

control and rolled over several times near Uakarori Beach on Saturday evening. She was

Miss Jacqueline Kenouf, aged 22, daughter of Mr and Mrs A. W. Renouf, of 190 Ballance street, Gisborne. Miss Renouf was in a car with three young Wellington men. All four persons were thrown from the vehicle when it rolled. Gored By Bull A farmer was gored to I death by a bull on his property at Pangatotara, about I 40 miles from Nelson, on Sat-1 urday afternoon. He was Neil Tomlinson, aged 37. mar-1 ried, with four children. Mr Tomlinson usually took the bull to drink at a nearby river each evening. No-one saw the attack, but a passing motorist gave the alarm. The bull was later destroyed by the police. Electric Shock

A man received a fatal electric shock while installing a stove at a friend's bach at Whangamata on Saturday. He was

Basil Leith Riley, aged 22, an electrician, single, of 50 Litten road, Howick.

Two Injured

Susan Harvey, of North Town Belt, Temuka, a passenger in a car driven by Kevin Francis Andrews, of 81 Macdonald street, Timaru, suffered a fractured collar bone and was taken to the Timaru Hospital by a Temuka St. John ambulance yesterday. (Her condition is satisfactory. Mr Andrews, who was also treated at the scene of the I accident by Dr. R. W. Hilliker land Dr. I. J. Leitch, suffered lacerations to the face and

was also admitted to hospital. | His condition is satisfactory The accident occurred at 11.45 a.m. when the vehicle, which was being driven along King street, hit a telegraph pole and was extensively damaged. Over Bank Two of three persons who were in the cab of a 5-ton truck which failed to take a bend and went over a bank on Cleland’s road in Ihe Sutherlands-Cave area about 6.10 p.tn. on Boxing Day were taken to the Titnaru Hospital by St. John ambulance. The driver of the vehicle. Brian Welch, aged about 32, of Main road. Pleasant Point, was admitted for observation, and was later discharged. Henry Struthers, aged about 38, of George street. Pleasant Point, suffered fractures of both femurs and a fractured elbow. His condition is satisfactory. Alan Gould, of Horton street. Pleasant Point, was uninjured. All are employees of Frame’s Carrying Company Ltd., Pleasant Point.