TRUCK’S WILD CAREER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 81, 29 December 1938, Page 11

TRUCK’S WILD CAREER

Exciting Chase By Traffic Inspector •«

LOWER HUTT SENSATION

Au exciting chase by Inspector A. J. Archer, Lower Hutt and Petone traffic officer, mounted on an. American police motor-cycle, after a speeding motortruck, provided one of the most sensational incidents in years in Lower Hutt yesterday morning.. The race started at the intersection of Cuba and Jackson Streets, Petone, where Inspector Archer began his chase of the truck, which was proceeding north at a fast pace. As the inspector increased his speed so did the truck driver till 50 miles an hour was oeing recorded in the main street of Lower Hutt.

The siren of Inspector Archer’s machine shrieked a warning to those in the track of the truck and nothing challenged his right-of-way. Inspector Archer tried several times to stop the driver, only to be forced into the gutter or on to the cycle track. Inspector Archer went to 65 miles an hour to get ahead of the truck at one stage and then signalled the driver to stop. He ignored the signal and drove straight at the inspector, who jumped clear. Spectators held their breath as the truck dashed through the busy section of the main street. Business people and shop assistants flocked on to the footpaths from their premises, attract- ' ed_by the screeching of the siren and the noise of the speeding track • which combined gave the impression of a fleet of fire engines rushing through the town to an urgent call. The excitement was ended some distance past the borough boundary—more than two miles from where the incident began—when the carburetter fell off the truck engine.

Inspector Archer was in at what appeared to be the finish, but when he attempted to stop the truck driver the latter pushed him aside and ran for a nearby house. FoUowing this a neighbour warned the inspector that the man had a rifle and the police were then telephoned. When they arrived and possession of the rifle was secured, it was found that there was no breech in it. The man was later admitted to hospital.