WEDDING TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16496, 31 July 1924, Page 5

WEDDING TRAGEDY.

CAR, CRASHES THROUGH CROWD. YOUNG LADY KILLED. OTHERS SERIOUSLY INJURED. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. A shocking accident occurred in the upper end of Dixon street this afternoon. A crowd of wedding guests were waiting outside the entrance of the gate of St. John’s Church to greet the bride and bridegroom, when one of the wedding cars standing further up the street, which is very steep and dangerous at this point, got out of control and ran down the hill, turning inwards and running on to the footpath. At the kerb it struck a body of guests, all women, and crashed onwards to the concrete wall. Miss Seraichard was killed. Three were seriously injured, and two- others were injured, more or less seriously.

The injured include: Mrs. Witts (Petone), Mrs. Hall (Newtown), and Mrs. Toother and Mrs. F. Wheeler. The best mail, Mr. Collins, of Pctone. and several others, were slightly injured. The bride and bridegroom, Mr. and .Mis. James Spence, bad left by the first car. and it was the second car which' got out of control.

Lillian Saint chard was aged 25, and her address was 3 Lewisville Terrace, Wellington. Further details of the tragical happening at the wedding show that the bolting car contained the best man, two bridesmaid's and flower girls. It is presumed that the driver released the brakes to follow the other car and' placed his 1- oot on the accelerator instead of th© brake. Til© car dashed on the footpath, where forty, guest,s a. moment before had' been showering confetti. Several were knocked down or crushed against the fence and more or less injured. Lillian Scratchaid, of Petone, was killed. The mechanism of the car had gone wrong. The injured are in hospital.