THE LORRY ACCIDENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20262, 23 May 1929, Page 10

THE LORRY ACCIDENT

INJURIES PROVE FATAL, TWO MEN DIE OF BURNS, THIRD OCCUPANT IMPROVES. Iwo of the men who were injured in the shocking motor-lorry accident in Mount Eden Road late ou Tuesday afternoon died in the Auckland Hospital early yesterday morning. The driver of the vehicle, Mr. Frederick Richard Wilkin, died at 5.15 a.m., while the death of Mr. George Durham Biddick occurred threequarters of an hour later. When the men were first, admitted to the hospital it was thought that Mr. Wilkin was more severely burned than Mr. Biddick, but he later showed improvement, and by about 11 p.m. he was progressing so well that his case was not regarded as serious. At the same time Miv Biddick was lying in an extremely low condition and at one time it was not thought that he could survive the night. Mr. Wilkin, whose home was at 14, Gordon Road, Morningside, was aged 38 and was a driver employed by Winstone, Ltd. He leaves a wife and a child two years old. Mr. Biddick, who was a quarry foreman, also employed by Winstone, Ltd., was 62 years of age, and was married. His family of six children are all grown-up. It now appears that the lorry was being driven by Mr. Wilkin and that Mr. Biddick, who was sitting in the middle of the three men riding in the cab of the vehicle, was thrown across to tho right by the impact, being pinned in tho driving seat. He was working at the quarry and was not a driver. Along with the two other men who were accompanying the driver, Mr. Biddick was riding home from the quarry on the lorry, which had just completed loading at 4.30, the time when the quarryworkers finish their day. The hospital authorities stated last evening that Mr. George Ulich, the third, man who was injured and who sustained injuries to the head, was making satisfactory progress. An inquest on the; two men 'who died was opened yesterday before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, and after evidence of .identification had been, taken was adjourned sine die.