MOTOR CYCLISTS KILLED

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 November 1931, Page 5

MOTOR CYCLISTS KILLED

- TRAGEDY NEAR REEFTON COLLISION WITH LORRY [OUB OWN COBBYSPONDXNT.] ' ReEFTON, November 16. A fatal motor cycle accident accurred about 8 p.m. on Saturday evening about four miles from Reefton, on the main Buller Road, just in front of Mr Thos. Roberts’ residence near Waitahu bridge.

Robert Powley, aged 27, of Reefton, and Sydney Smith, aged 28, of Cronadun, lost their lives through the motor* cycle oh'which they were riding, pillion, striking a motor lorry driven by Mr N. M. Winstanley, and coming from Inangahua Junction. Both men were practically killed outright, Smith just breathing a couple of minutes after the impact. Medical aid was imediately summoned and the police' notified, but both men were beyond aid. The bodies were brought into Reefton.

The place where the accident occurred is on a curve on the road, where the visibility is bad from both the Reef ton aixd Waitahu ends, the view being obscured by shrubbery and trees. The road surface is at present loose, and the tendency of motor and push cyclists is to hug the wrong side of the road. Powley was taking Smith home from Reefton to the latten’s residence at Cronadun and was steering and driving the machine. The motorcycle is a low-powered machine incapable of very high speed. The motor cycle was not much knocked about, the front wheel being slightly bent, the front tyre punctured and the left-hand‘handle-bar is broken off. The late* Robert Powley was the third son of the late Mr and Mrs J. Powley and had lived most of his life in Reefton. He was educated at the Reefton District High School and lately was employed at Burke’s Creek colliery. He was prominent in football and Fire Brigade circles, and was a lieutenant in the Fire Brigade, of which he was a keen member, and had seen seven years’ service.He will be accorded a Fire Brigade funeral to-morrow (Tuesday). The late Sydney Smith was the eldest son of Mr W. and the late Mrs Smith, of Cronadun, and was prominent. in football circles. On Friday night last he received the challenge cup on behalf of the Cronadun Football Club, the winners for the past season. Both were single. An inquest concerning the fatality was opened before Mr W. B. Auld, J.P., coroner, yesterday morning, when the scene of the accident was visited, and formal evidence of identification was taken. The inquest was adjourned until Thursday next.