RAILWAY FATALITY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 414, 15 November 1911, Page 5

RAILWAY FATALITY.

SETLTER KILLED AT LAKE ROAD. A shocking fatality occurred yesterday evening at Lake road station, a mile or two north of Te Awamutu. As the afternoon train from Frankton was running through the station, Mr J. M. Burke, a well-known settler at Kio Kio. endeavoured to alight from the moving train and wa3 drawn under the wheels. He received terrible injuries, both legs amputated. Doctors Reekie and Henderson, who were on tthe train did all in their power for the unforunatte man, but the succumbed in a few minutes, The body was taken on to Te Awamutu, where an inquest is to be held. It is surmised that Mr Burke, who had been to Ohaupo sale, wished to get off at Lake road, which is a flag station, and failed to notify the guard. In attempting to alight from the train which was running at about 10 miles an hour the terrible accident occurred. Mr Burke was wellknown and highly respected in the district, and had been married only about eighteen months. He was a prominent footballer and an ardent supporter of the Rugby game, having represented the various districts in which he had resided. After his retirement from the game Mr Burke maintained a keen interest in the game and was wellknown as a capable referee, in which capacity he did loyal service to the Maniapoto Rugby Union. Mr Burke was connected with the Otorohanga Football Club, and the game always found in him an industrious worker and a faithful friend. His loss will be widely felt.

The function which had been arranged for Saturday evening, next at Otorohanga, when the Otorohanga Club was to be presented with the cup and medals, won by it in last season's competition, has been postponed for a week in consequence of the sad fatality.