PRIME MINISTER IN ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 208, 30 May 1941, Page 8

PRIME MINISTER IN ACCIDENT

Car Somersaults MR. FRASER ESCAPES INJURY

Other Occupants Hurt Severely

Advice that the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, had been involved in a serious motor accident in Egypt was received yesterday by the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr. Nash Mr. Fraser fortunately escaped.injury, but severe injuries were received by some of the other occupants of the car, including Mr. Fraser’s private secretary, Mr. C. A Jeffery, and Brigadier N. S. Falla.

Mr. Nash said that lie had received word early yesterday morning from the Prime Minister in Cairo that, after visiting the Egyptian hospitals and camps, he was able to report that the men, including some. New Zealanders who had returned from Crete, were all in good heart. Mr. Fraser also stated that, though he had experienced a very serious motor accident, lie and Mr. C. A. Berendsen, the Permanent Head of the Prime Minister’s Department, had both escaped injury and were quite well. The accident, a burst tyre causing the somersaulting- of the car, bad, however, caused rather severe injuries to Mr. Jeffery, his personal secretary, and to the other occupants, including Brigadier Falla,, who was. however, now making good progress. Mr. Nash said that he had received another message during the morning stating that Mr. Jeffery's condition was also improving. Another passenger, Captain Downes, was suffering from minor injuries and shock, while the driver of the car had received a broken thigh and was also suffering from shock. Mr. Nash added that he had sent to those who had been injured a message of sympathy 'and good wishes for a complete recovery from the Government and people of the Dominion, and he had expressed on their behalf Hie relief which would .be felt at the escape of the Prime Minister and of Mr. Berendsen.