A Child Killed on the Railway.

Manawatu Herald, 27 May 1897, Page 3

A Child Killed on the Railway.

A three-year-old son of T. Strawbridge, of Halcombe, was run over and killed by a train last Monday evening at the Makino station. The Feilding Star says that Mis Strawbridge came from Halcombe by the morning train to Makino on % visit to her brother-in-law, Mr Wm. Reid, with five children, the oldest tfceiog 10 years and the youngest a baby in arms. Mrs

Strawbridge after tea intended re turning home to Halcombe by the train which leaves Feilding at 6.12 and Makino at about 6.20. The train having arrived at tbe latter station just before Mrs Strawbridge and her children, they were getting on the carriage on the opposite side to the platform, which is on the western side of tbe railway, tbe road being on the eastern side, so t? i ot it is necessary for anyone who desired to'get on the train from tbe platform to cross tbe line, hence the reason for Mrs Strawbridge attempting to get on from tbe opposite side of the platform. A Mr F. Bullock lifted tbe four children on to tbe carriage platform, and was assisting Mrs Strawbridge on when the unfortunate child who met with the accident, and who was the last of the children lifted on, fell between the carriages and lay between the rails for an instant. Just as the child was falling off the guard's whistle went and the train commenced to move. Seeing the danger, Mrs Strawbridge, who had one foot on the step of the carriage, fell back on Mr Bullock, who immediately let go his hold of Mm Strawbridge and made a grab at the child, catching hold of it, and was pulling it off the Hoe when a carriage, the train being in motion by this limp, struck him on the shoulder and knocked him up against the carriage immediately in front, forcing him to lose his hold of the child, which fell across one of tbe rails, two carriages and the guard's van passing over the unfortunate child's chest, almost severing its body in two. After the accident the train was immediately stopped and tbe mangled remains of the child were taken on to Halcombe, where an inquest will be held.