CAR OVERTURNS AT WAIKANAE

Evening Post, Volume 65, Issue 65, 17 March 1924, Page 8

CAR OVERTURNS AT WAIKANAE

MR. J. W. BUTLER SERIOUSLY INJURED.

As the result of a motor smash at Waikanae yesterday morning, Mr. J. W. Butler, Director of the Boys' Institute, Wellington, is in hospital at Otaki very seriously ill, as the result of a fractured spine, the fracture being iv the middle of the back, on a level with the bottom of the chest. The accident occurred about 8 o'clock, when six motorcars were bringing back to ■Wellington a touring party consisting of the Boys' Institute Band, and other entertainers who had just completed a most successful trip through Palmerston North, Wanganui, and.Taranaki district, with thp object of raising funds for the buildin" extension fund. The fleet of cars was proceeding slowly at the time of the mishap, and the car which came to grief was the third in the line. As is usua; in these accidents, it is difficult afterwards to ascertain the cause, but it is thought that in this case it resulted from a flaw in the front axle. Whatever, the cause, the effect was that the car suddenly left the road, collided with a stump on the side, and overturned. Almost before it had come to rest the driver (Mr. L. Marple) had climbed through the broken windscreen and escaped .without serious injury. The other passengers in the 4 car were Mr. J. W. Butler-and L. Ay res, F. Newson, A. Woodmaa, and R. Sharp, all members of the band. Apart from minor injuries and a serious shaking, they all escaped with little injury except in the case of Mr. Butler. All the other cars of the party were soon oi\ the scene, and the overturned car was righted. Mr. A. Iremonger, conductor of the band, who was in the first car, stated that the first thought of all the injured men was for the others. Each in turn said he was' all right, and to look to the others. Mr. Butler appeared to be very badly injured, and, on being asked, replied: "I am done. Look to the boys." He was in very great pain. A little brandy was procured and the doctor rung for from a nearby house. In the quickest possible time Dr. Sliarpe arrived from Otaki. After examining the patient he ordered him to hospital. The injured man was placed on a stretcher, and conveyed by car to the hospital at Otaki, some ten miles away. The whole trip from Hawera, which the party left on Saturday morning, was characterised by mishaps, mostly to the tires. It took from 10.30 a.m. -en Saturday ivntil 7.30 p.m. before the fleet (*<u-rived in Palmerston North. It was not considered advisable for the party to proceed over Paekakariki in the dark, and the cars did not leave Palmerston North until 2 a.m. yesterday. In six h'^s they had got as far as Waikiinac. "Wo must have had between thirty and forty pm.ctures between Hawera and Waikaune," stated .Mr. Iremonger to a "Post" reporter this morning, "and after that we only bad one all the way into Wellington." Mr. Iremonger staled that the cars were travelling slowly at the time of the mishapIt had been specially stressed that the trip must he made in slow time, so that there would be as little chance of an accident as possible. The accident hnd marred what must hnve been one of the best trips that a band had ever had. Ithad been arranged by Mr. G. A. Tronp, who had. left the party and returned aftji- the last concert in Taranaki. The band had then returned-to give a return concert in Hawera. Everywhere the band had been received enthusiastically, and the concert* had drawn crowded houses. . Mrs. and Miss Butler left for Otaki yesterday afternoon by car. Mr. Butler 13 well known in Wellington. He has been Director of the Boys' Institute for soraa five years, and is at present a mem'.=r of the Wellington Hospital iSoanr Dr. Sharp advised this afternoon that Mr. Butler's injuries had definitely been ascertained as a complete fracture of the spine and paralysis of the body below it. There would be no question of removing thu patient to Wellington for at least a week.