SERIOUS TRAIN ACCIDENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3979, 12 July 1915, Page 4

SERIOUS TRAIN ACCIDENT.

TE ~ KARAKA FOOTBALLER HAS A CLOSE CALL. FALLS UNDER MOVING TRAIN AT GISBORNE STATION. Ho.ni Ruru, one of To Karaka team ol footballers which visited Gisborne on Saturday last, met with a shocking accident while proceeding home the same evening. Rum, it scam-, hired a taxi-car to take him down to the Git-borno ; ailway station in order to proceed home by the late train. It appears a dispute arose concerning the fare, and before this was settled the train had commenced to pull out of the station.

Ruru was .standing on the Grey Street end of the platform, and the guard’s van had almost got opposite him when lie made a dash to board the tram.

air. C. V. oeniuk, a clerk at the Gisborne railway station, attempted to prevent the countryman from attempting the dangerous feat. Tho burly atlilote, however, took seme stopping, and despite, Mr. Weenink’s efforts, jumped on to the platform: The train by this time had considerable way on, and, to the horror of those on the platform, Rum wa-s seen to lose his balance and fall between the platform and tk© train. When the train had passed, the onlookers expected to find the mangled remains of the unfortunate man, but were amazed- to find that he. had had a miraculous escape from being mangled.

The poor fellow, however, by no means got off scot- free. One of the wheels of a carriage must- have nipped him on the side of the leg, as when picked up the flesh from the knee to the ankle on one leg had been stripped off, and was lying turned over like a piece of blanket. Mr. A. V. Stamp, one of the railway staff, who is well up in first aid work, fortunately happened to lie on duty at the time, and he immediately improvised a tourniquet with a signal flag and a piece of stick above tho knee, which at once stopped the excessive bleeding. Meantime, medical aid was summoned, and the police informed' of the accident.

Dr. AY. Reeve arrived' promptly, and, after attending to' the injured man, ordered his removal to the Hospital, whither he was convoyed by Constable Morris. Dr. Reeve found thatß.urn had: sustained an injured hip, while a, small bone above the ankle had also been broken. The whole side of the leg 'had been badly mangled, and the muscles and sinews so badly lacerated: that it is almost certain that, the log will have to be amputated l at- tho knee.

Dt Reeve expressed great admiration for the manner in which the tourniquet had been applied, and said tills had evidently been done by one well qualified in ambulance work. From inquiries made at the Hospital yesterday, it was ascertained that tiie unfortunate man was in a critical condition, and was unconscious. Ilani, who is- 26 years of age, is a member of a well-known Native family at To Karaka, and is a married man, with three children. He was very popular at Tc Karaka, and! widespread sympathy will go out to 'him in his. serious misfortune.