TRAGEDY AT WEDDING

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9771, 31 July 1924, Page 5

TRAGEDY AT WEDDING

MOTOR OAR GETS OUT OF CONTROL.

GUESTS CRASHED AGAINST CONCRETE WALL.

..YOUNG LADY KILLED AND SEVERAL INJURED.

WELLINGTON, July 30. A shocking accident occurred in the upper end of Dixon Street this afternoon. A crowd of wedding guests were waiting outside the entrance of the gate of St. John’s Church to greet the bride and bridegroom when one of the wedding cars standing further up the street, which is very steep and dangerous at this point, got out of control and ran down tho hill, turning inwards and running on to the footpath. At the kerb it struck a body of guests, all women, and crashed onwards to the onTiprptp wall. Miss Scratchard was killed. Three were very seriously injured, and two others were injured more or less seriously.

The injured include Mrs Witts (Petone), Mrs Hall (Newtown), and Mrs Toomer and Mrs F. Wheeler. The best man, Mr Collins of Petone, and severe l others, were slightly injured. The bride and bridegroom, Mr and Mrs James Spence, had left by the first' car, and it was the second car which got out of control. —P.A. 'Lillian Scratchard was aged 25 and her address was 3 .Lewisville Terrace, Wellington.

WHY OAR RAN RIOT. DRIVER’S UNFORTUNATE MISTAKE. Later. Further details of the tragical happening at the wedding show that the ’bolting car contained the best. man, two bridesmaids and flower girls. It is presumed that the driver released the brakes to follow the other car and placed his foot on the accelerator instead of the brake. The car dashed on the footpath where forty guests a moment before had been showering confetti. Several were knocked down or crushed against the fence and more or less injured. Lilian Scratchard, of Petone, was killed. The mechanism of the car had gone wrong. The injured are in hospital.—P.A.