SHOCKING SMASH

Southland Times, Issue 19837, 7 April 1926, Page 5

SHOCKING SMASH

CAR OVERTURNS ONE MAN TRAGEDY NEAR DIPTON ’ DRIVER'S CONDITION CRITICAL. A shocking motor accident occurred about one and a-half miles south of Dipton at three o’clock yesterday afternoon, resulting in the death of Alexander McKenzie, of Grace street Invercargill. It appears that a five seater Oakland motor car, owned and driven by Thomas Price, of Benmore, containing McKenzie and another man named John Murphy, of Fernhills, was proceeding towards Dipton when the wheels skidded in some loose gravel and the car overturned, pinning McKenzie and Price underneath. Murphy managed to extricate himself and with the assistance of Mr J. Warnock, who is employed as road surfaceman by the Southland County, and who was at the time of the accident working on the road some distance away, succeeded in lifting the car. Dr. Peter Gow, of Winton, was soon on the scene and found McKenzie had sustained terrible injuries to his head, death being almost instantaneous. Price also received extensive head injuries and was admitted to the Southland Hospital last evening in an unconscious state. He is suffering from severe con- , cussion and his condition is very grave. Murphy sustained minor facial cuts and some broken ribs, but beyond that his condition is not serious. The late Mr McKenzie, who resided in Invercargill, was well-known up to some months ago as works foreman for the Bluff Corporation. He left by the Lumsden train yesterday morning for his nephew’s farm at Kauana to assist with harvesting. Messrs Thomas Price and John Murphy are both well known to the farming community at Benmore and the surrounding districts. _______