LABOUR LEADERS IN MOTOR ACCIDENT

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2726, 29 April 1924, Page 2

LABOUR LEADERS IN MOTOR ACCIDENT

MR BRINDLE MOST SERIOUSLY HURT. - Ashburton, Last Night. A motor accident occurred five miles south of Ashburton to-night, in which the victims were Messrs Henry E. Holland (Leader of the New Zealand Parliamentary Labour Party), P. Fras'er (secretary), T. Brindle (president of the Gisborne Labour Representatives committee), and Clark, of Dunedin, the taxidriver. The accident was not of a serious nature, though all the occupants arrived with minor out* and bruises and suffered shock. The Labour men had been touring the southern districts, addressing meetings in connection with the railway strike. They left Dunedin at 7.45 in the morning and held meetings at Palmerston South, Oamaru and Timaru. Up till that time, they had two punctures to the same tyre. These were mended at Timaru and the same tyre got a puncture for the third time nearing Ashburton, while the car was travelling at 35 miles an hour, as the party was anxious to reach Ashburton to address a meeting then to proceed to Lyttelton to catch the ferry.

When the tyre burst, the car swerved at right angles and made for a small bank, then turned on its side. The car wag a glassed-in Sedan and many cuts were received from flying glass. Mr Holland, in a statement, said no blame was attachable to the driver, as at liis request he, had been hurrying to gain time. Mr Holland received cuts and bruises aboni I lie head, and when he arriv- 1 ed at Ashburton, was liberally plasicred with blood, mostly from Mr 1 handle, who fared worst of ail and took to liis bed suffering severely from shock. Mr Fraser had a severe bruise on the forehead, and Mr Coleman was also bruised and cut.