BIF RALIWAY ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2160, 28 May 1914, Page 6

BIF RALIWAY ACCIDENT

ON MAIN TRUNK LINE ■' v •' ~~~" NORTHERN EXPRESS COLLIDES WITH GOODS TRAIN ' ' ■ - ' i ■ ■ ■' ' 'sleeping-car telescoped THREE TRAVELLERS KILLED AND EIGHT INJURED. The news of a railway disaster near Auckland caused a great shock in the City yesterday, and this was accentuated when it became known that tho north-bound Main Trunk express was concerned, and that at least one well-known resident of Wellington had been fatally injured. AVlicn the details became known it was found that in all three.;passengcrs had succumbed and eight.had.been more or,less seriously injured. Tho toll of the disaster is as under:— KILLED. .. ' MR. ORTON,;, STEVENS (WELLINGTON). MR. CUTHBERT F. PETERSON' (MELBOURNE). ME. GEORGE N. ; GKIMSTONE .(WELLINGTON). ■■' :; :, } INJURED. Mr. John Swinson, Lower Hutt. Mr. H. G. Mackay, Melbourne. ; V ' Mr. H. A. Fox, Wellington. '. .Mr. Win, Donaldson, Whangamarino. Mr. F. S.'Gbldingham, Palmerston North. . *• ' i Mr. G. E, Howard, DevoripOrt, Auckland, ■•" Mr. W. J. R. Hill, Auckland. :/ ■ . . ; ■■ Mr." Harry Scott, Auckland. v • <By Telerraph.— Fr«*i Aiioelatlon.) ■ .' ' ;

■- . Auckland, May 27. 'A' railway disaster happened at tho Wharigainamfo Flae Station, seven miles on tho Auckland side of Mercer, at 4.40 this morning. The Main Trunk express from Wellington to Auckland crashed into, the , 12:50 a.m. , goods' train from Auckland to,JFrankton.,The'latter train was cut in two. . " ■•'■ .'•■■■■ ■ Tho two trains were accustomed to cross at Te Kawhatu (late Waerenga) at, 4.45 a.m., but owing 'to the goods train running late and the express-being well up to time, the latter was signalled to; steam on to tho Whangamarino Station. So far ;as can' be gathered, just as the goods train.was turning/o the siding and before anyone knew what happened there was an impact and tho i sound of splintering wood,-and a postal ' van which was .situated next to the engine of itlie express was forced back ' with' such'an impetus that it telescoped the sleeping Car next to it. Eleven passengers occupied tho sleep-, ing car, two of whom were killed .al.nost at once and ono died in the afternoon. Several others were seriously injured. . . The night was bitterly cold, and tho majority of tho passengers on tho train wero asleep when the accident occurred. ' ' '.<■■- A few minutes sufficed to learn the- ' terrible news, and thero was then a general rush of passengers to the front of tho train to render whatever alsistaiieo was possible-. , ■ The scene at the waysido station was ene of great confusion.