Digest of stories from The Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: August 11, 1917.

The Luton Corporation's application to the Board of Trade for an inquiry into the tram smash which took place on the Corporation tramways on December 28th, 1916, never fructified, and the cause of the accident has never been revealed. The cause was not disclosed on Thursday at the Luton County Court when his Honour Judge Wheeler and a jury heard the suit of Kate Brandon, of 39 Round Green, Luton, against Messrs Balfour, Beatty & Co Ltd, the tramways lessees, for damages for personal injuries sustained in the accident.

Mr W. A. Wardley, representing Miss Brandon, said that on the day, for some cause which remained a mystery so far as he was concerned, a car got out of control when halfway down the Midland Road hill and came at a great speed, increasing in speed, with the natural result that it failed to take the curve, passed over the tram lines, jumped the kerb, dashed into a lamp-post, went through a wooden fence and finally came to earth in the bank.

It was fortunate that there were only about eight passengers in the car at the time, but the plaintiff was one of them. She was thrown from the seat against the glass window, and thence to the floor of the car.

The effect upon the plaintiff was very serious. Up to that time she had been earning an average weekly wage of 30 shillings. She had not yet been able to resume work, so that she had lost a total of £39 10s in wages since December 28th. In addition she had to pay 10s 6d for medical certificates, £8 5s for extra nourishment and travelling expenses of 7s 6d, so that the total out-of-pocket expenses alone were £50.

Amid differing medical opinions and accusations that the plaintiff was a malinger who had been "having a very nice time of it," the defence accepted responsibility for the accident but said a figure of £20 would cover all that the lady had really suffered and what the tramways should offer.

Summing up, Judge Wheeler said that whether the plaintiff was a malinger or not, she had followed the advice of a competent medical man, and the defendants had admitted they had to pay damages. After private deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of £60 damages, inclusive of expenses.

• A very excellent movement is now in progress in connection with the Skefko Ball Bearing Company, Leagrave Road. In March this year, Mr Arthur R. Bird, of The Downs, very kindly consented to loan a portion of land in Selbourne Road, which comprises 48 allotments. The employees of the firm have entered enthusiastically into the scheme and, in order to create additional interest, the committee have decided to hold a show of produce next Saturday at the works, to be judged by Parks Superintendent Mr E. West. The vegetables are to be given to Wardown V.A.D. Hospital after the show.

• The importance of spraying potato plants cannot be too strongly emphasised. We are officially informed that the potato disease has broken out near Harpenden, and the Board of Agriculture desire to urge the necessity of immediate spraying.

• Three teenagers from High Town were each fined 10 shillings at the Luton Borough Police Court this morning for playing football in the street at the corner of Gaitskill Row and Duke Street on August 5th, even though one of them pointed out they were not kicking a ball but a tin can. The court heard that there had been complaints from the area of boys playing football and throwing stones in the street. One shop had had windows broken.

• There is again a heavy addition to Luton's roll of honour. Every day brings fresh news of sons of Luton who have died fighting and of others who have been a little less unfortunate, man and youths who are now fighting for life in military hospitals. Among the names published of those killed were [Click on names for more detail]: Gunner Albert Bunnage (R.G.A.), L-Sgt Charles Hull (Beds Regiment), Cpl Vincent Ivory (Beds Regiment), Pioneer Thomas Williams (Royal Engineers), Pte Walter Page (Herts Regiment), Pte James Lamb (Lincolnshire Regiment), Pte Alfred Ball (Beds Regiment), and L-Cpl Harry Woodbridge (Middlesex Regiment).

• Wounded: Mrs Logan, of 51 Warwick Road, has received official intimation that her son, Pte Neil Logan, of the Luton Territorials, was wounded by a bullet through the left arm and chest in Egypt on July 20th. He was admitted to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at El-Arish on July 22nd. He formerly worked at the Diamond Foundry.

• Pte Stanley Euinton (Beds Regiment), of 48 Park Road West, was wounded in the back and right leg on July 20th and was also sent to hospital at El-Arish. He was previously employed by hat materials merchants Barnard & Dawson, King Street.

• An old footballer in the Glendale and Rosedale teams and a cricketer at Vauxhall, where he was employed, Cpl Percy G. Hensman, of 171 Park Street, Luton, was wounded by a gunshot wound in the right leg, and was admitted to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at El-Arish on July 23rd.

• Mrs Impey, of 53 Cowper Street, has received news that her son, Pte Horace Impey (Beds Regiment), was admitted to hospital at El-Arish, Egypt, on July 30th, suffering from a gunshot wound in the left leg. Prior to enlistment he was employed by E. W. Hart & Co, bleachers and dyers, Windmill Road.

• News has come to hand that Pte Percy Brown (Beds Regiment), of 27 Whitby Road, Luton, was wounded in the left shoulder during an engagement in the East on July 29th, and is now in hospital at El-Arish. Before the war he was employed at the Skefko Works.

• Mr J. Pedrick, of 34 Butlin Road, Luton, has received news that his son, Gunner Henry James Pedrick, has been wounded in France. He wrote from an Australian hospital that he was hit on the back by a lump of shrapnel on August 4th and lay on a stretcher for 33 hours. He was formerly employed by hat materials firm Clay & Son Ltd, Cheapside, and was secretary of the King Street Chapel Guild cricket club.

• News has been received that L-Cpl Arthur Cordwell (Machine Gun Section), of 32 Cumberland Street, Luton, was wounded on August 3rd by a bullet in the left arm and admitted to Chichester War Hospital. Before the war he was employed by hat manufacturer Mr J. Weedon, of 71 Collingdon Street, Luton.

• Mr and Mrs A. Garrett, of 18 Cumberland Street, have received a form stating that their son, Cpl Percy Garrett (King's Royal Rifles), has been admitted to the 42nd Stationary Hospital in France. He was previously employed by Vauxhall Motors.

• Pte Wilfred Southam (Northampton Regiment), of 31 Tennyson Road, Luton, has been wounded by gunshot in the left side while in action in France. He lay on the battlefield for 12 hours before being picked up. He was in hospital at Wimereux after lying wounded on the battlefield for 12 hours. For 22 years he had been employed by straw hat manufacturer Mr Farrow, of Langley Road, and was a member of Luton Liberal Club.

• The only son of Mr and Mrs W. J. Northwood, of 119 Albert Road, Luton, has been wounded in action in France. A letter from the Sister of the No 7 General Hospital on August 5th said the wound had affected the sight of their son's right eye. Bedfore enlisting, he helped his father in his straw hat business.

• Mrs Billington, of 21 Windmill Street, has received information that he husband, Pte J. Billington (Beds Regiment), was wounded by gunshot in the left buttock on July 20th. He was admitted to hospital at El-Arish three days later. Prior to enlistment he worked for coal merchant Mr S. Bennett, Midland Road.

• A notification has been received by Mrs Wilding, late of Alma Street and now of Dudley Street, stating that her son, Pte Sidney Wilding, was gassed on July 26th. He enlisted 14 months ago in the R.F.A. and was formerly employed at the Skefko Works.

• While the Luton Borough justices were sitting this morning, there arose outside a little babel of shouts and then a sudden crash as a pony and trap collided with the railings close to the Court House entrance. Leslie Cherry, a youth of 53 Stanley Street, was driving the pony and trap belonging to grocer Mr Samuel Barrow down Buxton Road towards Stuart Street when the breeching snapped. Cherry pluckily stuck to the reins as the pony was forced down the street by the cart at a great pace. Fortunately, there was no traffic crossing at the junction with Stuart Street, and the vehicle dashed into the railings. Both shafts were broken, but neither Cherry nor the pony was hurt.

• We are glad to announce that the efforts of the Luton Corporation have been successful in securing a stock of 600 tons of coal for the service of the poorer elements of the town.