LEVEL CROSSING VICTIM

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1926, Page 1

LEVEL CROSSING VICTIM

BY TEL ICG It A PH—PIIESS ASSN'., COPYRIGHT. HAMILTON, April 8. A railway crossing fatality occurred on the Alain Trunk line about a milo south ol Tnupiri this afternoon. As the Thames express, hound for Auckland. approached the crossing, a motor lorry, driven by AA T m. Henry Corutliwnito. a single man. aged 22 years, appeared on the rails and the express collided with the vehicle, killing its driver almost, instantly, and smashing the Ford lorry to matchwood. Cnrnthwaito was employed by tho Public AA’erks Department, and was engaged in conveying camping material from Hamilton to Hnupiri for electric work. The deceased’s parents reside at Palmerston North. The crossing where the accident occurred is an open one. Corntlnvaite was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of tho smash. AUCKLAND, April 8. Tho “.Herald’s” Hamilton correspondent telephoned to-night as follows: The long list of fatal railway accidents was added to to-dav near Tnupiri. when tho Auckland-bound Thames express collided with a oneton motor lorry at 2 p.m. The motor was owned by the Electrical branch of the Public Works Department. Tbe driver. "William Tlenry Cornthvaite. who was killed, left Hamilton with a load of camping material about t p.m.. and was driving with his back to tbe train, which he apparently did not see approaching. The train struck the. lorry and carried it about a. chain before it pull'd up. Tbe motor was completely wrecked. Deceased, who was killed instantly. suffered from a fractured skull, and had both legs broken. The express which was running late, was delayed a further 10 minutes. The body was conveyed by the latter train to TTuntly, where an inquest was opened and adjourned. The scene of the accident is on the Kainui Read, half a mile south of Taupiri. Deceased had been employed by the Public AA'orks Department at Hamilton as lorry driver for two weeks. BAND CONDUCTOR KILLED. NAPTER. April 8. Afr Benjamin Joseph Cosgrove, aged about GO, a retired saddler, and tbe conductor of tho AAhiipawa Municipal Band, was killed hv a train at AA’aipawa Station this' evening. Ten minutes after the train went out, his body was found on the lino. Tt is assumed that Air Cosgrove attempted either to board or alight from the train while it. was moving, and fell between tbe two carriages. Deceased suffered severe injuries to the head and arms.