ACCIDENT ON THE AUCKLANDWAIKATO RAILWAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5662, 23 May 1879, Page 7

ACCIDENT ON THE AUCKLANDWAIKATO RAILWAY.

Auckland, Wednesday,

A passenger up-train ran over some cattle near Ohaewai and went off the line. An engine has started from here with assistance. No casualties have occurred, as far as can be learned. Sergeant Sanderson left Ngaruawahia in the ballast train to give assistance. It was an exceedingly narrow escape. The train was provided with a cowcatcher, or the consequences would have been serious. The train ran into a drove of cattle, killing several. 8 p.m.

The train was thrown off the line by bullocks. It ran into a drove of them near Huntley. Two red steers were mortally wounded, and a roan bullock split in two. The engine was thrown off the rails. A gang of men was sent from different parts of the line. A messenger went to meet the train from Auckland, which was waiting at Ohaewai. ' He detached Mason’s engine, and took another gang of men armed with sleepers and rails to the scene of misfortune. The engine driver whistled long and loud, but the stupid beasts still kept running off and on the rails till near the culvert, when they stopped. Two of the bullocks were knocked twenty feet into the swamp. The engine was got back on to the line after a few hours. It is considered an exceedingly narrow, escape. The engine was injured ; it was provided with a cow-catcher, or the consequences would have been more serious.