FOUR KILLED AT CROSSING.

Shannon News, 26 February 1926, Page 3

FOUR KILLED AT CROSSING.

TRAIN DASHeT INTO LORRY. SHOCKING OCCURRENCE AT PARAPARAUMU. Two Men and Wives Victims. SOLE SURVIVOR A LITTLE GIRL BOTH FAMILIES LIVED IN WELLINGTON. One of the worst level crossing fatalities in the history of the I country occurred about two miles north of Parapaiauniu at 5.50 o'clock yesterday,afternoon. The victims were:— WILLIAM ERNEST FORDHAM, , aged 3G years, auctioneer 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. Versita 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 tarniture from Wellington to Te Horo, consigned to a Mrs. Connell, and the vehicle was struck by the south-bound 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 lorrv. 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, whiKh occurred at 5.50 p.m., state that it was making very slow progress owing to t«e heavy load. One man at that time was riding on the running board. The Fordhams, < who have a son aged • 5 years, had , but recently returned from a visit to the Dunedin Exhibition.