SPEEDWAY SMASH AT PALMERSTON NORTH

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5324, 10 February 1947, Page 5

SPEEDWAY SMASH AT PALMERSTON NORTH

"ive Riders Involveci; One Dies In Hospital • PALMERSTON NTTI., last night. In a sensational speedway crasli at the Palmerston North showgrounds last night, involving five motor cycle riders, two young men reeeived serious injuries from whieh one, Howard Wallace Polley, of Lyall Bay, Wellington, a married man, aged 38, later succumbed. The other, Jack Robert Wootl, of Wanganui, was reported to-night to beimproving. An official version of the accident is that the mishap occurred in the third lap. Wilkinson, an Aucklander, was leading • at the beginning of the lap approaching the western bend of the track. He w7as closely followed by Polley and R. Seed, of Auckland, who were riding closely together. Wilkinson was behind E. Pinker, of Palnferston North, and Wood, who were rounding the western bend at the beginning of their second lap. Pinker and Wood apparently fell when halfway round the bertd. Pinker immedw ately dragged his machiSie ' to the fence, and Wood/'whose machine was quite near the fence, moved over to it. Wilkinson came between Wood's motor cycle and the fence, struck Wood, became unseated, and his machine landed in the middle of the track. Poljey and Seed were nnable to avoid it, and they were also tossed to the track. The injured men were taken to hospital. None of the other riders was injured, although they reeeived a shaking. Polley died in the Palmerston 'North Hospital this morning. He was a well known figure in the motor cycle world in New Zealand. Be-fore the war he represented the Dominion in the T.T. motor cycle race on the Isle- of Man. • The remaining' rider in the race, Harris, of Wellington, carried on alone from a rear position to win.