CROSSING DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1930, Page 6

CROSSING DISASTER

NINE YICTIAIS

WORST N.Z. CROSSING SMASH

.By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WI.IANGAIHR, April 6

. Wlmt is believed lo 'bo the worst railway level crossing accident in the history of New Zealand occurred at (J.o o’clock last evening, when an Ojuiaijound express, carrying visitors to the Wiiangnrei races, struck one of the buses owned by the Northern . AloloiBus Company, which was coming Jrom Hikurangi with a load of young people, who. were going to the pictures in \\ liangarci.

A tremendous impact occurred on McLeod's crossing,- near Hikurangi, and as the result the bus was completely smashed, and was hurled some distance, and out of its eleven occupants, four: of which were killed outright, .while a filth died before arrival at the Whangarei. Hospital, and yet another, whose case was hopeless from tue outset, succumbed this morning. Still another, Phillip Sparks, ha's an extensive fracture of the skull, and the outlook for his recovery is had.

THE DEAD

The. dead are as follows: Sydney Johnson, aged 15, .sou of Joseph Johnson, Hikurangi. • Gavin ‘Davidson; aged, 3.6, ..the: son of Robert Davidson, of Hikurangi.., .

James Rothwell, aged 17, of .Mountain cßoad, Hikurangi..

•-Irene Darwin, aged' 10, whose parents reside ait Perua Road, Matamata.

Edna Wilson, aged 23, of lvesteran Avenue, St. Helier’s Bay, Auckland. Andrew Ercw, aged 17, Hikurangi.

THE INJURED

Those injured are:

Eileen Trotter, who has an extensive wound on the right foot, scalp wounds, and body abrasions, and sulfering severely from shock. She was operated upon on Sunday morning, ami she is doing well. Lewis Martin, aged 16, of George Street, Hikurangi. He is wounded on uie scalp. A fracture of the skull was suspected, hut an examination under an anaesthetic showed that, this was not so. The patient is doing well. Noel Wilkinson ■ aged 21., the driver of the bus, sustained a compound fracture of the left shoulder blade, and is suffering from severe shock. ‘He also was operated upon on Sunday morning, and his condition is good. Trevor Doel, aged 14; whose parents reside in Hikurangi; has extensive wounds on the left thigh, and an- injured scalp. He was operated upon on Sunday morning. His outlook is good. Phillip Sparks, aged 13, whose parents reside at Hikiurangi. This .was one-of the-most' serious cases admitted .to’’the hospital. 'The youth iVaS (suffering' from 'extensive Mail" iiFjrfrdds T aritl"Shock, aiuT'nn examination binder an anaesthetic on Sunday'-morn-ing revealed im extensive fracture‘of the vault of the' skull. He was still unconscious this afternoon,, when it was not expected that he would recover. The tragedy occurred with such sud'denness, and the siirvivvrs ' are' 'so badly -knocked about. that'aiV accurate story' cannot he' obtained. All that can he stated definitely is that the race train, hound for Opua, and tno bus, travelling towards AYliungaroT, met-on the level crossing. The night was dark, and rain was clrizzli ng.

The nine patients, the dead nnc|. dying, were conveyed in private cars to the AVhaiignrci Hospital, the yard of which was like a casualty clearing station in time of war.