MAN AND WIFE LOSE THEIR LIVES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 303, 24 December 1945, Page 4

MAN AND WIFE LOSE THEIR LIVES

CAR OVER_A BANK THREE DAUGHTERS INJURED ACCIDENT ON RIVER ROAD A woman was killed and her husband died from injuries in the Wanganui Hospital after the car in which they were travelling with their three daughters plunged over a bank on the Gentle Annie Hill, Hi miles from Wanganui, early yesterday afternoon and rolled into a f tilly 230 feet below the road. The three young women are also in hospital. The victims were:— Killed. Mrs. Olive Luke, 31 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North. Died in Hospital. Mr. Charles Roland Luke, engineer, aged 64, of the same address. Injured. Miss Helen Luke, aged 28, suspected fracture of left forearm and back injuries. Miss Olive Alison Luke, aged 26, concussion and injuries to her back. Miss Nancy Luke, aged 20, suspected fracture of the left leg and concussion. The condition of the three young women was reported last night to be comfortable. Mr. and Mrs. Luke and their three daughters were travelling from Palmerston North to Parikino, 15 miles from. Wanganui, via the WanganuiPipiriki River Road, At Parikino they intended visiting friends. The car was descending the Gentle Annie, one of the steepest hills on the road, and was about half-way down on the Pipiriki side when the trouble occurred. At a sharp bend the car went over to near the side of the hill, but while being straightened out it apparently swerved across the road. It left the road and rolled down the hillside, striking a ledge and rolling again till it reached the bottom of a gully, in a place where it was invisible from the road. The car was badly damaged. One of Ihe young women, Miss Nancy Luke, went to seek assistance and in spite of her injuries was making her way un the side of the hill when she was sighted by a taxi driver bound for Wanganui. He immediately went to her assistance and extricated the other injured persons from the wrecked car.

The St. John Free Ambulance received a call at 2 n.m. Mrs. Luke had been killed and Mr. Luke had received head injuries. a fractured arm and and numerous other injuries. He died in the Wanganui Hospital at 7.15 last evening.

When the Wanganui police were Informed yesterday afternoon. Constables H. H. Hudson and A. Crowley left for the scene of the accident.

Mr. Luke was managing director of J. J. Niven and Co., a well-known engineering firm in Palmerston North.