SHOCKING FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3733, 18 December 1906, Page 3

SHOCKING FATALITY.

Woman Killed by Motor Fire Engine. Her Daughter Injured.

Wellington, To-day. A shocking accident occurred on Lambton quay at about 4.40 pia. yes- ; t«rday, resulting in the instantaneous* death of Mrs Amy Kensington, wife of Mr W. C, Kensington, Under-Secretary for LandEgAfld serious injury to her daughter,' Kensington. The deceased trad her two daughters were proceeding along Lambton quay when the Fins Brigade raptor engine, which was proceeding to a fire in the - Botanical Gardens, came along the ; quay, and turning sharply from the quay into Bowen street dashed into the ladies as they were passing over the Bowen street crossing.' The front of the car struck Mrs Kensington, knocked her over,- and the machine passed over her .prostrate body, scattering hep- brains ’over the ground. The' left-hand side wheels passed over Miss Louisa Kensington’s left leg causing a compound fracture. The car was .pulled up in its own and assistance renderedP. 0. Spry, motor qnginepr aud cardriver for the brigade, slates that the car proceeded along the quay at a rate of from 15 to x 6 miles an hour. About forty yards from Quinton’s corner the bell was rung many times, and the speed was reduced,, so th*at the corner could be rounded in safety. When he saw the ladies they were nearly halfway across the Bowen street crossing) and seeing that they were proceeding northwards he guided the car to run between them and Quinton’s corner. Then when they went back he swerved slightly to clear them on the other side, but they started forward (northwards) again, getting right in the track of the motor (which was then proceeding at a rale Of between eight and nine mile*

per hour). When he - saw an accident was inevitable he applied the two internal expanding brakes, and pulled the car up in three or four yards. Had the ladies gone on when they first heard the bell or had stopped still no accident would have occurred, but the flurry the ladies got into made his task a most difficult one. Donald McCnllum, who saw the ladies on the crossing, and heard someone call out “ Look out!’’ but the ladies dodged backwards and forwards in a hesitating manner, evidently very flurried as the car rounded at a reduced speed to go up Bowen street. The car was pulled up promptly; ■ ' 'to.