Car's Wild Career

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 6

Car's Wild Career

Elderly Man in Hospital Seriously Injured UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUND MISHAP. An elderly man, at present unidentified, lies seriously injured and in danger of losing his life, in the Palmerston North Hospital as the result of a car's wild career in Main street yesterday afternoon. The mishap was surrounded by rather unusual circumstances. The driver was Mr. Robort George Leydon, salesman, of Te Kuiti, who, with Mrs. Leydon, are at present on a holiday tour. They had just arrived in the city from Hawke’s Bay and after passing over the Victoria avenue intersection, noticed a boy ahead of them on a bicycle and goiDg in the same direction. This young man, Alwyn Gooch, of 21 Clifton street, Palmerston North, was intending to cycle into the right-of-way attached to Cook’s mill and it is reported in order to avoid a collision, Mr. Leydon had to swerve to the right towards the footpath. Unfortunately, the car then got out of control. Gooch was knocked off his bicycle and the car careered on to the footway and along it for some distance, gathering speed as it went. The gravo 'fr injured man was on the footpath walking (some say cycling) to the Square and tho car jammed him up against the brick frontage of tho Manawatu Woollen Mills next to Cook’s cooperage, before it left tho footway for tho roqd again. Shooting across the street it scraped the side of another car parked parallel to the railway line before being brought to a standstill. Other people using the footpath managed to jump out of tho way of the car’s path, being fortunate enough to sco it coming. Theso included Mrs. Mansfield and her daughter, Miss Olive Mansfield, and a Mr. Murray. It was immediately seon that the elderly man knocked down—ho had had his back to tho oncoming car—was seriously hurt. Ho was unconscious with blood coming from one of his ears. The Free Ambulance took him to hospital. The young man, Gooch, had his bicycle and clothing damaged but escaped bodily injury. Mr. Leydon 'a car was damaged on both sides from striking the man and hitting tho parked car 'which, also sustained minor dents. On admission to hospital the man gave his name as William Sykes but could not remember his address. As he was in a dazed condition it is not known whether this is liis real name or not. Inquiry at the hospital this morning elicited the information that tho victim’s condition was serious.