LEVEL CROSSING SMASH

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 120, 18 February 1928, Page 9

LEVEL CROSSING SMASH

WOMAN KILLED INSTANTLY LEVIN BAKER’S VAN WRECKED Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, February 17. When crossing the railway line at McLeavey’s crossing, just south of Levin, shortly after noon to-day, a baker's van, driven by Herbert Wilmor Eyes, aged 41, a baker, of Levin, collided with the northbound New Plymouth express, causing the death of his svife, Dorothy, who was seated with him in the front of the van. Mrs. Eyes, aged 36, received head injuries, from which she died instantly, while Eyes sustained serious head and shoulder injuries, which necessitated his immediate removal to the Palmerston Hospital. Harold Alexander Metiderson, representative of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, Wellington, an eye-witness of the mishap, stated that he saw a van attempt the crossing to reach, the main road, the driver ' being on the side further away from the train, which was approaching in the rear of the car. From the crossing a full view of the train for a distance of between three and four chains was obtainable, but, said Menderson, Eyes apparently neither saw the train nor heard its whistle. It was only a few seconds before the collision that Mrs. Eyes, who was nearest the train, saw it approaching, and seized her husband. It was too late for any attempt to stop the van, however, and the train completely smashed it. Eyes was caught in the wreckage and carried for approximately four chains before he fell clear. Mrs. Eyes was carried only a few yards, but being nearer the train, suffered the brunt of the collision. Passengers on the train were the Minister of Health (Hon. J. A. Young) and Dr. Valintine, Director-General of Health, and Constable Tocker (Hawera), and they were the first to reach the scene of 'the accident, rendering material assistance. , Dr. L. J. Hunter (Levin) was handy, and he rendered first-aid to Eyes, who under Dr. Valintine’s supervision was placed in the guard’s van and taken to Palmerston Hospital. Upon arrival at Palmerston the train, being approximately an hour late as the result of the accident, an ambulance was waiting to convey Eyes to the Hospital, where later on he was visited bv the Hon. J. A. Young. Late inquiries at the Hospital elicited the fact that Eyes’s condition was still very serious. An inquest was held at Levin for the purpose of identification this afternoon of Mrs. Eyes, and was adjourned sine die.