OTIRA LINE FATALITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1923, Page 3

OTIRA LINE FATALITY.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. Further particulars of the fatality on the Otirn railway line near Rotornami yesterday whereby Edwin AYilliam Police!;. aged 21, leading line erector, and Frank Collins, aged about 25 years, line erector, lost their lives, state that both men were sitting on a jigger trolley with their hacks in the direction they were going, and. when on a curve in the line, met a returning ballast train. In this train the engine was at the rear, and "'n- pushing a load of empty trucks ahead of it. The guard of the train, .Mr T. Gilmoic, of Greymnii!h, who was riding on the front of tlie engine, saw the men first, and raised a warning cry. lmt tho train was unable to pill! up heiore striking the men. The train, which was travel ling al a speed of about Id miles an hour at the time of the collision struck the two men in the hack. The men, when placed in Ihe van’ of the ballast train, were unconscious. The engine was immediatclv ceupled up with the van, and set out for Greymonth. hut Collins expired a few minutes later, and Bollock did not last long after. It is understood that Collins was a much lravelled man, he having visitid many parts of the world in addition to the Antarctic region. Edwin Bollock bail been about two years engaged in the work of installing electric signals In Canterbury. He was a native of Dunedin, but had resided at Wellington for some time, as well as at Christchurch, llis brother, Air Leslie Bollock, who is engaged in similar work to that at which deceased was employed, was working near Rotomanu, along the trad;, yesterday, when news reached him of the accident, and he arrived on the scene in a quariei of-an hour's lime. AYhile Collins was killed almost instantaneously', through Ids hack being broken. Bollock lingered for some little lime, and at one stage showed s’gns of returning consciousness, lmt ii was later found that I lie small of his hack, where the truck siruck him. "as vitally injured Bollock, besides his parents, leaves one brother and lour sisters, three of whom are married. lie lormerlv was a foot halier, and played with the Linwood ( ltd).