RUNAWAY CAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 238, 8 October 1928, Page 8

RUNAWAY CAR.

CRASHES INTO BANK.

AUCKLANDERS ARRESTED.

WILD, ZIG-ZAG COURSE.

OTHERS ON ROAD FRIGHTENED.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.")

STRATFORD, this day.

Great excitement was caused on the main South Road yesterday by a motor car, which, after running an erratic course at high speed for miles, crashed into a bank at Te Roti.

There were two men in the car. One was arrested and charged with illegally converting the car, and the other was taken to Hawera Hospital, unconscious. The men are James Murphy and George Larsen. It is understood they came from Auckland, and that the car was taken from the side of a road at Ngaere.

Attention was drawn to the car by the zig-zag course it followed. So dangerous did it appear that other cars stopped before meeting it, and cyclists dismounted and made for the hedges. Three little girls, who were walking on the road near Eltham, narrowly escaped being run down.

Other motorists expected the car to turn over every moment, or crash into deep gullies at the side, of the road, but these it missed by the narrowest margin.

When the car was approaching Te Roti it was met by another car containing Sergeant Henry, of the Hawera police. A collision appeared inevitable, but the driver of the police car swerved at the last moment, averting a terrible smash. It is estimated that the runaways were then travelling at 50 miles an hour. Soon afterwards they crashed into a bank. Murphy made off, but he was speedily overtaken and arrested.

MOTOR CAR AND BUS.

COLLISION AT FAFAKURA. ONE VEHICLE OVER BANK. A collision between a motor car and a motor bus occurred on the Great South Road about a mile south of Papakura just before six o'clock on Saturday evening. The car, which had a lady driver, was capsized over a bank at tht side of the road and had its wind screen shattered and its hood and side curtains t6rn off. The passengers in the car escaped with but slight injuries. The bus was undamaged. The bus was one on the PukekoheAuckland run and was proceeding in the direction of the city with seven or eight passengers. The motor car, which was travelling in the same direction, was passing the bus at a place where there is a considerable amount of loose metal on the road, when the car hit the righthand rear mudguard of the bus and capsized oyer a bank with a five-foot gradual drop, coming to rest on its righthand side.

CAR STRIKES FENCE.

(By Telegraph.-—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, Saturday. A two-eeater car owned by Mr. A. McMillan, of Whangarei, and driven by Mr. J. Ryan, school teacher, of Hikurangi, was considerably damaged through colliding with the post and wire fence opposite Kensington Corner this afternoon. Mr. Ryan and a friend With him were not injured, except for a few cuts and abrasions.

MOTOR CYCLIST'S FALL.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Sunday. Ernest Harker, 21 years, of Hamilton,', riding a motor cycle along the Hamiltbn-Cambridge Road to-day, when the chain attached to the brake fell off. He lost control and was thrown violently. The injured was admitted to the Waikato Hospital, where he is reported to be in a serious condition.

MOTOR DBim'a XEG BROKEN

(By. Telegraph,—Own Correspondent.) , .TE'AR.OHA,. : this, day. J. Parkinson,;* motor driver, met with an a<sidens. near Aroha on Sunday. He ; was engaged in carting cream .when he was strack by a trailer attached to a truck.His ;leg was broken and he was conveyed to the-Waikato Hospital.