MOTOR-CYCLIST KILLED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 102, 13 February 1950, Page 4

MOTOR-CYCLIST KILLED

HEAD-ON COLLISION IN HILL CLIMB ANOTHER RIDER INJURED (P.A.) TIMARU, Feb. 12. A motor-cyclist was killed and another suffered extensive injuries, in a head-on cqllision during the . South Canterbury Motor-cycle Club’s hillclimbing championships on the Taiko zig-zag near Timaru soon after 4 p.m. on Saturday. Killed Frederick Elliott Lavers, single, aged 25, a farmer, of Waimate. Injured James Arneil Stirling, single, aged 22, a plumber, of Timaru. Stirling suffered a fractured jaw, a fractured collar-bone, a fractured knee and cuts, to the face and concussion. He was admitted to the Timaru Public Hospital at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. His condition this evening was reported satisfactory. Lavers suffered severe injuries and died a few minutes after the accident. The collision occurred near a bend in the road on the hill-climbing course which is about seven-tenths of a mile. It is understood that when the accident occurred Lavers was coasting down the hill after a time trial,, and Stirling was making a timed run up the hill under full power. It is understood that both the officials at the start and the finish of the course were in communication, and it was supposed that all competitors had returned to the starting point and that the course had been clear for a number of minutes before Stirling began his run. £■■

An inquest into the death of Lavers was opened before- the Coroner (Mr M. M. Enting) and adjourned after the evidence of identification had been given.

BOY DROWNED IN STREAM FALL THROUGH HOLE IN BRIDGE PLANKING (P.A.) ‘ INVERCARGILL, Feb. 12. Robert Carran, aged 11, a son of Mr and -Mrs G. Carran, South Riverton, was drowned at a swing bridge at Pourakino, Riverton, on Saturday. While he was crossing the bridge, which was in an unsafe condition, Carran fell through a hole in the planking into the stream below.

,A courageous attempt at rescue was made by Mr A. Mclvor, who was with a party of boys. He jumped into the water, caught the boy and started to struggle towards the bank when he was caught up in snags and slimy mud. Mr Mclvor'lost his grip on the boy and reached the bank in an exhausted condition., 1 ' - - The boy’s body was found later by Mr P. McConville, who took risks in diving into the river. An inquest will he held.

MAN DROWNED IN LAKE TE AX AIT (P.A.) INVERCARGILL, Feb. 12. An Invercargill man was drowned in Lake Te Anau late yesterday afternoon. He was Lawrence Cook, aged 25, a son of Mr R. C. Cook, 353 Dee Street, Invercargill. It is understood that Mr Cook fell off a launch into the lake. The body has not yet been recovered. Invercargill police left for Te Anau last night to start dragging operations.