SOLDIERS’ FATE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21225, 23 September 1940, Page 8

SOLDIERS’ FATE

TERRITORIALS KILLED MOTOR-CYCLE FATALITY NO WITNESS TO ACCIDENT (Special to Times) TUAKAU, Sunday Two territorials were killed at Tuakau last evening when the motorcycle they were riding left the road near the bridge in front of the Centennial Park and jumped 25ft. across a stream. They were:— Lance-Corporal John William Rivers, aged 18, elder son of Mr and Mrs W. Rivers, of Russell. Private Patrick Henry Tilt, aged 22, only son of Mr Henry Wilfred Tilt, of Glenbrook, Waiuku. Both men were undergoing training at the Hopu Hopu camp. The accident happened on a down-grade where the tar-sealing curves on to the bridge. Apparently no one saw the accident, but this morning a boy who was playing there saw the machine and the bodies of the two men lying at the edge of the stream about 18ft. below the bridge and largely screened by willows. Thrown Across Stream A mark on the roadside indicated that the machine left the tar-sealing on the bend and hit a rise on the bank of the stream just outside the bridge railings. This threw it right across the stream, which is about 25ft. wide at this point. They had obviously struck a willow on the far side, a small branch having been torn off. This was lying by the motor-cycle, which came to rest in about Bin. of water at the edge of the stream on the far side from Tuakau. Both had received injuries indicating that death must have been instant. An inquest was opened this afternoon by the district coroner, Mr C. K. Lawrie, and adjourned after evidence of identification had been taken. ROAD FATALITY MATAMATA COLLISION ELDERLY WOMAN KILLED (Special to Times) MATAMATA, Sunday A fatal collision occurred at the intersection of the Hinuera, Tauranga and Matamata roads yesterday afternoon. The victim was:— Mrs Ida Caroline Gardner, aged 61, of Taumarunui. Mrs Gardner was travelling with her husband, Mr David Gardner, mill manager, of Taumarunui, in a car driven by Mr L. R. Pulham, of Taumarunui. It was involved in a collision with another car driven by Mr F. H. Holmes, of Matamata. Mrs Gardner died from her injuries in the Matamata Hospital six hours later. The other occupants of the car driven by Mr Pulham suffered minor injuries. Mr Holmes and a companion were unhurt. Both cars were extensively damaged. An inquest was opened before the coroner, Mr A. J. Tong, and adjourned after evidence of identification had been given. SHOOTING ACCIDENT BOY’S FATAL WOUNDS (Special to Times) KAWHIA, Sunday As the result of a shooting accident at Kinohaku, Kawhia, this evening, a* boy named Douglas Schultz, aged 13, son of Mr Joseph Schultz, garage proprietor, of Kinohaku, received wounds in the back and died soon afterward. Constable G. F. McKenzie has left Hamilton to investigate the accident.