TWO MEN KILLED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2657, 31 December 1915, Page 6

TWO MEN KILLED

MOTOR-LORRY CAPSIZES. An accident resulting in the loss or two lives occurred on,tho Opotiki-Wai-mana-Taneatua. main road about six o'clock on Sunday evening. A motorlorry, owned by Mr. Eklon Graham, carrier, of Opotiki, and fitted for passenger usfl, -while conveying a party of ten from Opotiki to Taneatua, failed to negotiate a bend in tho road, and capsized over the embankment. Mr. Eldon Graham, aged about 53, and Mr. J. Tressider, aged about 25, were killed instantaneously. Some of the passengers sustained injuries of a minor nature, and the others escaped unhurt. All had miraculous escapes. The lorry approached the bank in a straight line, and from all accounts only the prompt application of the brakes prevented a headlong plunge downwards. The car then rolled over sideways, but fortunately most of the passengers were thrown clear. Tho two men wlio were killed occupied the seats nearest the bank. 'Tressider. it is believed, got caught by a wheel. Mr. Graham was'well known and highly respected in Opotiki, 'where ho had conducted for some years a business as carrier and forwarding a°;ent. .His wife and family of seven survive him. . Mr. Tressider was employed by 'Mr. Graham. He was married, and had one child, a boy of about three. He went to Opotiki from Waihi. . An inquiry into the circumstances was conducted by the district coroner, a verdict' 'of accidental deaths being returned. The coroner said no blame was attachable to the driver. Thoovidenco went to show that the steering gear went wrong. The car was travelling at about seven miles an hour The car haa not skidded, and no previous reference had been heard as to faulty steering gear.