The Rakala Railway Accident.

Manawatu Herald, 16 March 1899, Page 2

The Rakala Railway Accident.

+ There is very little fresh to report concerning the railway acoident. The jury and Coroner inspected the scene of the accident at Rakaia >v Monday afternoon. The damaged cars had been removed to a siding, and a very good ulea uf the general crash could be obtained. It was not easy to ascertain the x ict spot . at which the collision iccurred, but that was determined oloseiy enough for all practical pur p->*es. The jury walked down the line to •i siiglu hil', 800 yds to the soa'h of Rikriia station, and found that tb ?ta'ion was visible from the ho low beyond. G neral satisfaction is be' 13 expre<wd at the fact that the Mtnicter of Railways ha? ordered an oppn investigation. Most pubUc bodies, including th~ Weslt-yan Conference and the S . John's Ambulance Association, have adopted resolutions of sympathy with the relatives of those killed, and the Mayor has received several telegrams of sympathy.. A deep *en<wtion was occasioned by the identification of Mi s Hatwood's body. Rumours h >v>> been current t.hn wo person •) iujared have since di^d, but these rumours lack confirmation. Man/ of those who are suffering

from minor injuries are at their own homes, and it Is impossible as yet to give the total number of the injured. For some reason it is not easy to obtain definite denials of the rumours of fresh deaths ; but it is practically certain that, beyond the four killed outright, there are no further fataliies. At the latest advices all wounded •.vliu Me in .he hot-pital are progress* ing favourably towards recovery. It is impossible to obtain a correct i>t of those woundfd in the railway accident as many people who were injured but no bones broken, were taken to their homes byfriendc. In addition to those already pub* li<ih»ri. it has been ascertained that Mr? L. Bergh, a widow, was seriously hurt; Frederick Al?op, of Prebbleton, arm badly injured ; Mrs Pearce, of Islington, and Mr Aberneathy are also hurt ; Emma Gollan, servant,-, bruised badly from loins to the knee?, the injuries being somewhat serious; Mrs and Miss Ryan, of Sydenham, are both considerably knocked about, the former being pinned to the bottom of the carriage. Meesages of sympathy are being received from all parts of the colony. 5 ; Ie has been decided that District Jodge Ward and Mr.McKerrow, formerly Chief Commissioner of Railwavsj shall conduct the official enquiry re the EUkaia railway accident-