LEVEL CROSSING FATALITY

Chronicle (Levin), 31 August 1946, Page 4

LEVEL CROSSING FATALITY

LORRY DRIVER KILLED One man was killed instantlv and another. had a miraculous escape" from # ryt in. .• \viiiclx t li eyWef d Eayeliihg w'as- sfTuclc,vj>y 'tlie.-Wel-y ti'bgfqn-A uckl and goods ?. .'expressT train on the Kimbolton lioud'level cr^ssiug. Feilding, at 3.55 p.m. yesterday. They were: — Robert Price, lorry driver, aged 40 years, married with four children, of Aorangi. Killed. M. Haswell, labourer, of Churcher Street, Feilding. Severe shock. This unexplained tragedv was heralded by the sound of the crash which' quiekly brought to the scene a very large crovvd. Constable Foley, who heard the crash from the police station, was also promptly 011 the scene. Dr. W. M. ilacLaurin was suinmoned and found Mr. Price beyond inedical aid. The lorry was completelv wreckc.d and its contents strewn over the shunting yards on the west side of the crossing whefe the much broken velucle canie to rest. Tt is not known what caused the mishap beyond the fact tliat the lorry was actually on the line when the train approaelied. It has been suggested that the vehicle had slowed down in approaching the crossing and moved 011 to stall just as the train eame through the station. Air. Haswell was too severely shocked to be able to give anv statement yesterday afternoon. Employed by Hr. B. Law, carrier, the late Mr. Price, who is a member of a well-known Aorangi family, had left Messrs Abraham and Williams'" store in Manchester Btreet with a load of produce for the country, travelling via Kimbolton Road. He had taken Mr. Haswell with him to help load and un(oad and was on the way when the tragedv happened. Mr. Price was a married man with four children and was about 40 years of age. His wife is visiting Auckland. The cngine was in charge of Driver Wright, of Palmerston North, and pulled up within its own length immediately the collision occurred. Apparently the engine caught the middle of the truek and tossed it to the right hand side of the train well elear of the main line on which the train was travelling. It Ls reea.lled that this is the second : fatal accident on this crossing during 1 almost 30 years. 1