SHOCKING MOTOR TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20322, 2 February 1928, Page 9

SHOCKING MOTOR TRAGEDY.

CAR OVERTURNS NEAR MILTON. PROMINENT RACING MEN v. KILLED. ANOTHER SEVERELY INJURED,: a Messrs A. B. Armour, Joseph Biggins, and Thomas E. Wilkins, all of whom are prominently associated with the sport . of racing, were killed in a motor accident last evening, and at the same time - Mr L. J. Hill (secretary of the Dunedin Jockey Club) was injured. The party was returning to Dunedin from the Tapa- . nui races by motor car, and the accident which resulted so tragically occurred about 8.30 p.m. just to the south of Milton. ' ‘ The car, a five-seater, belonged to Mr Biggins, who was driving, and'had with; him in the front seat Mr Armour, the other two passengers occupying the rear ~ seat. When nearing the Milton bridge Mr Biggins, who was driving _t a fairly fast rate, attempted to pass another car going in the same direction, but as he did so one of the back tyres blew out, with;, the result that the car zig-zagged the road and finally turned a complete , somersault in a dip at the roadside. Messrs Armour and Biggins were pinned underneath the rear of the car, and on being extricated it was found that they were both dead. Mr Hill was found huddled up in the rear of the car unconscious and suffering from severe bruises,, •> and Mr Wilkins, who had also been _ thrown out, was picked up nearby with , his skull crushed. He was at once removed to Milton Hospital, but died . almost immediately on his admission. . Mr Hill was taken to Dunedin, and wa«/ admitted to the Chalet Hospital. Theactual extent of his injuries were nqt., ascertainable last night, but it is thought.' that they are not of a serious nature. Mr Armour came to New Zealand from the Old Country at an early age, and was first employed as a cadet on Black:, stone Hill Station, in the Maniototo' County, of which he eventually became' manager. After some years he pur-: chased Closeburu Station, which he sold about five years ago and retired, takingup his residence in Dunedin. He was also well known in the racing world, and __ owned several good performers in PrettyFace, Thistledown, Winsome Lady, . United Service, and Puff. For some', years he had been a member of the Dis- - trict Committee of the D.J.C., and had been a familiar figure at the meetings of the club at Wingatui and also of the~ Otago Hunt Club, of which he was ■*.- steward. He took an active interest in. the Maniototo A. and P. Society, pf - which body he was a past president. • He was also a member of the Commercial Travellers’ Club. His widow, two. daughters, and two sons—Messrs Alex. Armour (Dunedin) and James Armour (Christchurch) —survive him. Mr Biggins, who was recently appointed handicapper to the Dunedin Jockey Club, was well known in racing circles throughout the province, and some years ago was a prominent owner. Killowen and Kilbrogan were two of the horses he raced successfully, and he also owned Scion after that horse had won the New Zealand and Auckland Cups. On retiring from racing, he took over the Railway Hotel at Mosgiel, and later he became the licensee of the Queen’s Hotel at Timaru, from which, he sold out about two years ago and went to live in retirement at Mosgiel. He is survived by his widow and a grown-up family. Mr Thomas E. Wilkins was also closely connected with racing, and was well known in the Taieri- district. At one time he owned a private training stables,, but for the past few years he had lived in retirement at Mosgiel. A former owner of Elzear, he sold this trotting mare to her present owner, Mr Q. J; Barton. He leaves a widow and foursons.