DEADLY MOTOR

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 June 1927, Page 7

DEADLY MOTOR

WOMEN KILLED AND INJURED DRIVER'S LOST CONTROL (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 10. A shocking accident occurred this afternoon at the intersections of Willis, Manners and Boulcott streets, when a motor car driven by Lewis, an 'and (land agent, of 10 Lloyd Sftireej't, struck two women crossing Willis Street, and then dashed on to the footpath, knocking down two more women and killing one. Tire victims «were : — Miss Theresa Grenner (42), of 16 Campbell Street, Wanganui (killed). Nurse Rachel Knowles, of Wakefield Street, Johnsonville, severe bruises and shock. Miss N. Skelton, aged 28, the Parade, Island Bay, severe bruises and shock. Mrs James Walsh (sister of the deceased) of 19, Somerset Avenue, minor injuries. Lewis in a statement to the police said that just prior to reaching the footpath 'crossing, when about to proceed up Boulcott Street from Willis Street, he knocked two ladies and this unnerved him and he lost control. He endeavoured to stop, but he knew little more until the accident had happened. Miss Grenner had been dragged underneath the car, which had to be lifted bodily off her. Miss Sheldon was conveyed to her home and Miss Knowles to the Publis Hospital. Both are progressing favourably. DRUNKEN DRIVER. AUCKLAND, June 10. Maurice Walter Luxford Thompson, aged 40. was before the Police Court to-day charged with being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car at Arapehu on February 19. and with driving a car without being duly licensed, and also with a breach of his prohibition order. Mr Greville appeared for accused who pleaded guilty to all the charges. Sub-Inspector Lewin said Thompson after he had a disagreement with his wife, drove the motor car and collided with another car. He was intoxicated. As recently as January 19, at Dargaville he was fined £lO for being intoxicated while in charge of a motor car, and at the same time his license was cancelled, and a prohibition order was issued.

Counsel the Magistrate to be as lenient to Thompson as possible under the circumstances. He had made an attempt to keep off liquor, but the desire was too much for him. Thompson was foolish. When not ir liquor, he was a decent, respectable man. He had spent eight days in custody already. Magistrate McKeen said he could not show much leniency to the accused as this was his second offence for driving while intoxicated. On that charge he would be fined £25, in default one month’s imprisonment. He would be fined 10s for driving without a license, and £2 for the breach of his order, and in addition he would be disqualified from driving motor cars for a period of two years. Mr Greville said the accused was afraid he would not be able to pay the fines.

CAR-THIEF IMPRISONED. WELLINGTON, June 10. The opinion that the imposition of a term of imprisonment is the only affective means of checking the increasing number of cases of unlawful conversion of motox' cars was expressed by Mr Riddell. S.M. to-day when hearing a charge against John Robert Roe, a labourer, who had taken and damaged a ear to the extent of £5. A case against three others, who were occu pants, was dismissed on the statement that they did not know the car was stolen. Rae was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment.