CRASH INTO POLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21729, 19 February 1934, Page 8

CRASH INTO POLE

MOTOR-CAR WRECKED FATHER AND TWIN SONS BOY'S CONDITION SERIOUS HEAVY INSULATOR BROKEN A father ami his twin sons were injured when the motor-car in which thev were riding mounted the kerb and collided violently with a power pole on the Gz'eafc North .Road, near the entrance to the Western Springs Stadium, at about four o'clock yesterday afternoon. The car was almost completely wrecked.

The injured are:— Henry Steven, aged 11, of 7 Murdoch Street, Grey Lynn. He received a fractured jaw and injuries to one eye, the face and head. His condition last evening was serious. Mr. George Steven, aged 45, painter. Ho suffered concussion, and a fractured kneecap, and his condition is notserious. Maurice Steven, aged 11, fractured jaw and injuries to the face. Condition not .serious. The car, a five-seater clo.sed model, was travelling toward the city wh'en the accident occurred. When just on the city side of the entrance to the Western Springs Stadium, it mounted the kerb, and ran along for a short distance with the near side-wheels on the footpath, and the off-side pair on the road, finally crashing into the post with terrific force. A Sudden Swerve

A cyclist, Mr. R. A. Fricker, of 2 Grand Avenue, Mount Albert, who saw the accident from a distance, said there was no other traffic on the road at the time. The car swerved suddenly and struck the post. When the collision occurred, the near-side front door flew open, and Henry Steven was thrown out on to the footpath, being rendered unconscious.

First aid was rendered by Mr., Fricker. A St. John ambulance was summoned, and the injured were taken to the Auckland Hospital. The force of the collision moved the base of the power pole about six inches, and broke all the cross-arms carrying the wires. A heavy insulator fell and was smashed. Kepairs were put in hand immediately. Tied Up With Ropes

Almost every part of the car was damaged. The bumper, front axle and steering-rods were bent like wire, and the engine was forced back until it projected through the floor-boards into the front compartment. The body was wrenched from its mounting on the frame and moved forward several inches, while the roof was buckled and the windscreen and several of the sidewindows were broken. The steerinecolumn was forced into an almost vertical position, and all four spokes of the wheel itself were smashed. The seats were tossed nearly out of the

So extensive was the damage that it was impossible to tow the car away as it stood. It was found necessary to use lengths of rope to .tie it up like a huge parcel to prevent it from falling to pieces while being towed.