MOTOR-CAR WRECKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21910, 20 September 1934, Page 10

MOTOR-CAR WRECKED

FIVE PEOPLE INJURED FALL DOWN STEEP BANK iff; all thrown <out of vehicle ;: PROCEEDING TO A FUNERAL * ' [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday Five j»ersons were injured when a car i in which they were travelling to a funeral at Port Levy left the road and rolled down a hill, about 11 o'clock t|j this morning. The injured persons, who were not discovered until more ? than an hour and a-half later, were taken to the Christchurch Public Hobpital by St. John ambulances. The car was damaged beyond repair. The persons concerned and the'lf nature of their injuries are:—Mr. H. W. Candy, Oxford Terrace, head injuries; Miss A. Candy, Bangor Street, head injuries; Mrs. M. A. Baynes, Proctor Street, head and leg injuries; Mrs. C. E. Halsey, Innes Road, head and leg injuries; Mrs. L. Duns, Bangor Street, injuries to the face. All but ; ; Mrs. Dans, who was able to go home ] after treatment, were admitted to hospital.

The accident happened about three and a-half miles from Purau, near the top of a hill on the way to Port Levy at a point where the road has a steep gradient. The car fell 15ft. straight down to a wire fence, smashed through this, overturned and rolled downhill. The passengers were thrown out at intervals before the car came to ft stop 3Coft. down the slope. Walt Made at Ohnrch None of the passengers in the car was able this evening to give any account of the accident, and it appears there were no eye-witnesses. Mr. A. Dawson, of Pajaanui, who was in one of the other cars travelling to the funeral, described the discovery of the injured persons. Three cars were following the hearse when it reached the top of the hill behind Purau, that driven by Mr. Candy being well behind the other's, said Mr. Dawson. It was an old air, and Mr. Candy was not familiar with it. Mr. Dawson considered that it was two miles behind the others when he saw it from the top of the hill. At the church the remainder of the party waited for half an hour for the last car, but,, as it did not arrive, the funeral service was. not delayed any longer. It was then thought that the car had broken down. Cause of Accident On the return journey Mrs. Duns was suddenly seen at the side of the road waving her hands for Mr. Dawson's car to stop. She was very severely cut about the face, and all she could say was that the car had gone over the bank. It was found that all the passengers in the wrecked car except Miss Candy were conscious. Although the exact cause of the accident could not be ascertained, it appeared that the driver had attempted to change gears, and that the car had stalled and run backward on the steep gradient, and before it could be stopped had-gone 4>Ter the. bank, *