RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5825, 29 November 1879, Page 2

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

A rumor gained currency yesterday evening to the effect that a collision bad occurred on the Wellington and Featherston line, between the Upper Hutt and Kaitoke, and that two carriages had been smashed and several of the passengers had been shaken, no serious injury, however, being sustained by the latter. A reporter from thisoffioeprooeeded to the railway station to raakeinquiries, but theiuvariable reply to his queries was that some accident had happened, but that the particulars were not known to the party questioned. Each official referred our representative to others, who in their turn were equally mysterious and reticent. At last, one officer sent our reporter to the residence of the engine-driver who was on one of the trains when the collision occurred, but on arrival at the house indicated, and after a considerable amount of parley with a female voice behind an unopened door, the unsatisfactory intimation was conveyed that this engine-driver had not returned to town, although the official at the station had informed the reporter that he was in, and could give every information. The station was again visited, with no better luck, and a number of the hotels in the city were then called at, with the view of finding some of the passengers by the damaged train. The passengers were not met with, but soma secondhand scraps of information were picked up, which we give, merely remarking by way of preface that if they are incorrect or exaggerated the reticence of the railway officials upon the subject is the sole cause of not being better supplied with facts. From what we have been able to gather after considerable trouble it appears that a goods train was waiting on the siding between the Upper Hutt and Kaitoke for the passenger train bound to Wellington to pass. The points had, however, not been properly adjusted, and when the latter train arrived, instead of it continuing along the main line it ran upon the sidiutr, colliding with the goods train before it could be stopped. The shock threw two carriages off the line, completely overturning them, and a child was thrown out and injured, though not seriously. Many of the passengers were, as stated above, considerably shaken, and the excitement which prevailed may be easily imagined. The train was speedily righted, however, and the journey to Wellington completed without further mishap. We presume an enquiry will be made into the cause of the accident, for if our information is correct great carelessness on the part of the pointsman was exhibited.