FOUR KILLED AT LEVEL CROSSING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3004, 27 February 1926, Page 2

FOUR KILLED AT LEVEL CROSSING.

TRAIN DASHES INTO HEAVILY LADEN LORRY.

One of the worst level crossing fatalities in the history of the country occurred about two miles Paraparaumu at 5.50 o’clock on Thursday afternoon. The victims were: —

WILLIAM ERNEST FORDHAM, aged 36 years, anctioner and carrier, senior partner in the firm of Fordham and Child, Lower Cuba street, and residing at 218, Cuba street, Wellington.

RUBIA VICTORIA FORDHAM, his wife, aged 34 years. WILLIAM WALLIS, aged 36 years, of 22 Nelson street, Wellington. FLORENCE WALLIS, aged 27 years, his wife.

Versila Marie Fordham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Thomas Fordham, aged 9 years, is suffering from shock and abrasions, but her condition is not regarded as serious. All four deceased and the child were passengers by a lorry which was conveying a full load of furniture from Wellington to Te Horo, consigned to a Mrs Connell, and the vehicle was struck by the southbound passenger and mail train which leaves Palmerston North at 3.43 and is due at Paekakariki at 5.53 and at Wellington at 7.13. The intersection, known as Mackay’s crossing, makes a right angle turn over the lines, and road travellers approaching it have a clear view for some 300 yards. The lorry was struck full on and cut in half, the furniture being scattered 200 yards along the line. All the bodies were frightfully, mangled and death must have been instantaneous.

Motorists who passed the lorry on the Paekakariki hill about an hour before the smash, which occurred at 5.50 p.m., state that it was making very slow progress owing to the heavy load. One man at the lime was riding on the running

board. The Fordhams, who have a son aged 5 years, had hut recently returned from a visit to the Dunedin Exhibition. STILL ANOTHER CROSSING FATALITY. OAR STRUCK BY TRAIN AT PORIRUA. OCCUPANT KILLED. Wellington, Last Night. William Power, of Karori, Wellington, married, was driving a car across the railway-line at Porirua this evening, when it was struck by a goods train from Wellington. A porter saw Power approaching as the train was drawing near. He waved to Power to stop, but the latter went on. The train struck the ear and smashed it to matchwood.

Power was thrown right out of the car, and either landed, or was hit by the train, on his head. When picked up he was dead.