CONDITION OF INJURED PASSENGERS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 149814, 30 May 1914, Page 12

CONDITION OF INJURED PASSENGERS.

(PRBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, May 29 . \° permanent physical an jnrv is likely to bo suffered by any of tho passengers who survived the destruction of°the sleeper car in the disaster at Whangamanno on Wednesday morning. Reports of satisfactory progress were given this evening in regard to all of them by their medical attendants. Tho doctors consider that in no case is there any fear of the nervous shock suffered having any sustained effect. Tho condition of Mr F. S. Goldincnam, of Palmerston North, was so much improved to-day that he will be able to leave his bed to-morrow. He is rapidly recovering from shock and from the injuries which he received through being driven through the partition wall.

The extensive brnising received by Mr H. A. Pox, Wellington, is still very painful The dislocation of his toe was reduced on Thursday, and ho is now making good progress, though ho will probably be incapacitated for some weeks.

Some of tho other passengers who escaped physical injury are still suffering from shock, and are under medical care. . -

The complaints made regarding tools being unobtainable when the work of extricating the injured passengers was undertaken, were criticised by Mr R. W. McVilly, chief clork of the Department, in an interview. To the statement that only two axes and two crowbars were procurable Mr McVilly replied that m the guard's van of each i.Tain there should have been the usual equipment of tools.

Attention was drawn by one of the passengers to-day 'to the fact that the van of the goods train, in which Mr McVilly stated one set of tools could have been foirnuy was smashed with the other vehicles by the collision, so that it was hiehly probable that the tools were either buried in debris or scattered, so that a search for them in the darkness would havo been fruitless. Even had a full equipment of tools from the vans of both trains been secured, there would have been only- two crowbars and two. axes, which would not have been of any effective value in breaking asunder the wrecked portions of tbe two cars. The "sprags," "scotches." and other things mentioned by Mr McVilly were of no value for the work that had to be done.