WELLINGTON MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1920, Page 3

WELLINGTON MYSTERY

MOTOR CAR RUNS AMOK

NUMEROUS CASUALTIES.

(l’er Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 15.

Just as the people were coming out of the theatres to-night ,n motor-car with a# solitary occupant dashed through tlie city streets, tlie man at the wheel shouting at tlie top of his voice:—“Get out of my way!” Eyewitnesses say the car appeared quite out of control, and was travelling at a very high speed. ' The ear negotiated several corners Rifely, hut on reaching the junction of Manners and Cuba streets, it dashed •through a crowd of people waiting«for the trains, and collided with a standing

tram. It knocked down a woman who was about to enter the tram,'and struck others, and then, with a child locked under its wheel, it slid right across to the other side of the road where it struck a number of pedestrians. A scene of great confusion followed. , Exact information as to those injured is not at present available. It is reported that five persons have already been taken to the hospital. The number includes a man who is said to he the driver of the car. He iB in a critical state. One woman has suffered a compound fracture of the leg. Another had an ankle broken. Many others have received minor injuries. FURTHER DETAILS. WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. A street accident, which is at present more or less mysterious, took place last evening. A car with only one occupant (the driver) was seen by the police niftl others dashing through the streets at forty miles an hour. It’s course Willis and Manners streets took it along the most narrow and crowded thoroughfares in the city One tyre flew off, and tlie car rocked from side to side, hut the’driver still kept on. There is a sharp, turn from Willis Street into Manners Street, and this was taken with difficulty. At the junction of Cuba Street with Manners Street, a large crowd from the emptying theatres and picture halls was waiting for the trams. The driver still came on shouting out to get out of his way, and the people were running and pushing in ali directions. The car was almost on the pavement, then it swerved and struck the* Island Bay tram. The running board was smashed, • and it took some of the impetus off the car, which swerved again across the street. Norman Beck and Miss Stubbs who were tlie most injured, were found wedged between tlie front wheels, the former being severely gashed and .injured, /and tlie latter suffering a compound fracture of the left leg. Thomas Steel, a returned soldier, had his wooden leg splintered mn] Wf»s roughly knocked about. Miss Alina Oliver was injured ’about the legs.' These were those who were most severely handled, Five or six others got bruises. When the police came to look for the driver he had disappeared, and Mr Beck was at first thought to be tlie driver, but afterwards it was ascertained from the number of the car that the owner was one Clarke, of Lyall Bay, son of the best known of Wellington residents.