TRAM FATALITY
IN CUSTOMHOUSE QUAY
SHIP'S STEWARD THE VICTIM
'A fatal tram accident occurred in Customhouse Quay on Saturday evening, the victim being Thomas William Hees, a ship's steward, and a member of the crew of the ferry steamer Maori, which would have been in Lyttelton at tho time of the occurrence but for the trouble with tho engine-room crew on Friday. Hees was crossing Customhouse Quay near tho New Zealand Express Company's building when ho was struck bv tranicar No. 86. and killed instantly. Dr. D. Lloyd' Clay, who was summoned to the scene, expressed the opinion that death was due to fracture of the skull, but an inquest will, of course, be held. Near the spot where lleos was killed there baa been at least one previous tram■ accident.
Tramcar No. 86, which was concerned in the fatality, was being driven by Motorman Anderson, with whom was associated Conductor Stone. In a statement furnished ; to the - police, Motorman Anderson, says that his car was coming from Brooklyn to the Post Office, and, when about ten or twelve yards from the Express Company's building, he noticed a man crossing the street. The motorman sounded the gong and applied the brakes, but, as tho man-on the road flion stopped, the brakes wore released, and the car bounded ahead again. Just when the far was 'opposite the man the latter appeared to the motorman to plunge forward, and so tho car was brought to a standstill in a space of five yards or so. Meanwhile, however, the car had struck the unfortunate man (Rees) and knocked him down.' The motorman then had tho man removed to tho footpath and sent for Dr. Clay, who on arrival pronounced life to bo extinct.
Papers found upon the body of the deceased would indicate that he was SO years of age, a native of England, and the son of tho Rev. Mr. Rees, of Pembrokeshire. Ho came to New Zealand some years ago, but appears to have been absent recently, returning by tho last trip of R.M.S. Moana from San Francisco. He joined tho Maori as a steward on March 6,,.and was paid off with other members of the crow on Saturday morning.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2724, 20 March 1916, Page 6
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369TRAM FATALITY Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2724, 20 March 1916, Page 6
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