SIXTY FOOT DROP

Evening Star, Issue 18832, 5 January 1925, Page 6

SIXTY FOOT DROP

MOTORING TRAGEDY. TWO KILLED AND FIVE INJURED. [Per United Press Association.] I BLENHEIM, January 4. A terrible accident occurred this morning in Redwood Pass, about eight miles from Blenheim, resulting in the death of two people. A Christchurch party of seven, comprising Mr Herbert Cyril Dixon, grocer, of St. Albans, his' wife, their two children (Rita, aged seven, and Arthur, aged nine), Air Sydney Mawson (salesman for Messrs Johnson and Garnett, residing in Wairarapa road, Fendalton), his wife (aged fortyone), and his son Herbert, arrived at Blenheim last evening, presumably from Nelson, in an Essex car. They left Blenheim this morning for Christchurch, Mr Dixon driving. On attempting to negotiate a sharp hairpin bend in Redwood Pass the car apparently swerved, going over a bank and dropping 50ft or 60ft into a small creek below.. It was almost a straight drop. No one saw the accident, but shortly after it occurred Mr Reginald Thomson, who was driving a car to Blenheim, was stopped by young Mawson and made acquainted with what had occurred. Mr Thomson saw that nothing could be done without assistance, and he went on to the nearest telephone and rung for the police and an ambulance. When the police arrived it was seen that a terrible tragedy had occurred. Mrs Mawson was just breathing when she was picked up, and she died in a few minutes. Arthur Dixon appeared to have his back broken, and was quite dead. The other five occupants of the car were all more or less injured, and were unable t® give anv particulars. All of them were admitted to the Wairau Hospital, but the extent of their injuries is not yet known. The car was badly smashed. THE INJURED. BLENHEIM, January 5. In connection with the Redwood Pass tragedy those injured arc:— Herbert Cyril Dixon, ear partly torn off and injury to neck. Annie Dixo’n (the wife) t Fractured forearm and ribs. Rita Dixon (a young child) : Fractured humerus. Sydney Mawson: Fracture of the base of the skull. Herbert Mawson; Broken nose and cuts about tho face. All are suffering severely from shock. An- inquest was opened for evidence of identification and adjourned sine die.