Two Killed When Car Crashes 250Ft To River

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1948, Page 4

Two Killed When Car Crashes 250 Ft To River

INVERCARGILL, Thur. (P.A.) —Tragedy marred the holiday season in Queenstown early this morning when a car returning from a dance at Lower Shotover left the road at a spot known as Black Diamond Rock and hurtled 250 ft into the‘bed of the Shotover River.

Three of the five occupants were thrown clear before the car struck a poplar tree, but the other two persons received injuries from which they died.

The victims of the accident were DIED

The crash was heard in the Lower Shotover Hotel and by other traffic on the road.

Mrs Eileen Thomson, aged 27, Mataura, wife of Mr Patrick Thomson, and daughter of Mrs Cowan, Mataura. Mr George Grant, aged 28, single, Queenstown. ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL

A rescue party was quickly organised and members descended to the bed of the river with a wire bedstead to bring the injured out. Mrs Thomson and Mr George Grant were still living but the former died after admission to the Frankton Hospital and Mr Grant died in hospital later in the morning.

Mr Patrick Thomson, husband of Mrs Eileen Thomson, serious injuries.

The other two occupants of the car, Mr John Grant and his wire Mrs Jean Grant, suffered minor injuries and were not admitted to hospital.

Both the Grant brothers served in the Second World War and were members of a well-known Frankton family. LIGHTS FAIL The car, a 1931 model, left the dance at about 2.15 a.m. and was coming uphill from the Shotover Bridge, when it met another car coming in the opposite direction.

The driver of the Queenstown-bound car, Mr George Grant, attempted to dim his lights but instead they went out and the car continued on and veered over the bank while the other car proceeded on its way unaware of the tragedy just being enacted.