ESKDALE TRAGEDY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 79, 27 December 1937, Page 6

ESKDALE TRAGEDY

Woman Killed When Motorcycle Overturns BABY INJURED One person was killed and a three-months-old cliild injured, wlien a motor-cycle, with sidecai attached, overturned in loose shingle at the interseetion of the Taupo and Eskdale roads about 7.30 o'cloek on Christmas morning. The person killed was: MRS. NELLIE VETA CRANSTON, aged 26 years, of 61 Wainui Avenue, Point Chevalier, Auckland. With her husband ,Mr. Robert Harold Cranston, and two children, Mrs. Cranston left Auckland at noon on Friday for Napier. When the crossroads at Eskdale were reached, Mrs. Cranston drew the attention of her husband, who was driving, to the faet that they were taking the wrong route, and, in the aet of turning to go the right way, the vehicle skidded in the loose shingle and overturned, throwirig driver and passengers to the roadwav

Mrs. Cranston was killed almost instantly while the three-months-old c.hild was taken to the Napier Hospiial suff-ering from heal injuries. His condition last night was reported to be fairly satisfactory. Mr. Cranston was treated at the hospital for minor injuries, after which he and the elder bov, aged three years, who was not injured, went to the home of relatives with whom the family had intended to spend the holidays jn Munroe street, Napier. Mrs. Cranston 's brother, Mr. William Gordon Simmonds, had been notified to expect his relatives early oh Christmas morning. As the time at which he had expected them to arrive had passed, Mr. Simmonds took his car and -set out to meet them, with the idea of taking the children back with him. His first intimation of the tragedy was when he noticed some people gathered at the Eskdale corner, and pulled up to see what was amisn. An ambulance and a doctor had been called, but Mrs. Cranston had died within a few minutes oi the accident. An inquest was opened at 4 o'cloek on Christmas afternoon, before Mr. J. Miller, S.M. After evidence of iden tification. had been given by Mr. Simmonds, the proceedings were adjourned.