LEVEL CROSSING TRAGEDY

Shannon News, 23 April 1929, Page 3

LEVEL CROSSING TRAGEDY

WELL-KNOWN RESIDENTS ' KILLED.

MAIN TRUNK EXPRESS CRASHES

INTO MOTOR LORRY.

A shocking level crossing accident ' occurred at Shannon on Saturday, when the Main Trunk express collided with a motor lorry, wrecking it completely and'resulting in tho deaths of both of (the; occupants—one a member of a well-known Levin family, and the other a young Shannon resident, their names being:—

JOSEPH C. BETTER, carrier, Foxton. HENRY TREMEWAN, aged 19, Shannon.

The tragic occurrence took plae„* about 10 minutes past 10 o’clock, just as the south-bound express was passing through the Borough. At the Vance Street intersection the train encountered Mr Better’s lorry, which was coming from, Nathan Terrace. The engine struck the front part of the lorrv with terrific shattering the body and scattering the fragments foT a considerable distance.' Mr Better was killed instantly, but his 'companion was still alive when pi6ked up. He was placed on the train and taken to Levin, but had passed away .before reaching here. Dr. L. J. Hunter, in , answer to a telephone message, was in waiting when the train arrived, but the'unfortunate young man was beyond human aid. The collision is difficult to account

for* as the crossing is quite an open one, visibility, in regard to the line being good and the view either way uninterrupted.- It is not known . who was driving at the time. The irony , of the accident is that Mr Better had disposed of his business and hoped to finish up in the course of a day or two; and that Mr Tremewan was assisting him to that end.

The load of furniture was practically all smashed, portions of it being found over two chains away from the crossing. It was the property of Mrs Hermansson, who with a family of eight children, had just arrived from Batea to take up her residence m Shannon. The tragedy cast quite a gloom over the town, where both the victims were well-known and highly respected. Among the business men and older residents the late Mr Better will always be remembered by his cheery nature and his readiness to give a helpinghand to those in need and to assist, any worthy object for the betterment of the community, while among the younger generation Harry Tremewan was very popular and recognised by all as a good sport in any of the games he took up, v The passing of both our townsmen is to be regretted and one arid all sympathise with the parents and relatives in their great-.bereave-' ment. The late Mr Joseph Better, was formerly a resident of Levin, and the news of his death, came as a great shock to many people in that neighbourhood He came to the district with his parents • in 1886, his people having been among the earliest settlers between Levin and the coast. His mother, Mrs J. Better, senr., now in her 90th year, still resides in Oxford Street; he also leaves three sisters —Mrs J. W. Procter (Hokio), Mrs H. Gill (Weraroa) and Mrs Eoaeh . (Shannon)— and one brother, Mr Fred Better, of Hamilton, and formerly of Kimbsrley Road. The family has been sorely smitten by bereavements, •three brothers of the deceased—John, Jaimes and William—having already passed av/ay. The deceased served his .time at the blacksmithing trade in Le.vin, under Mr H. Anslice, now of Mira;.,:mar. He next set up in business for himself at Shannon; sold out and removed to Otaki,. and-for a considerable time was.in the insurance business. Following that he returned to the trade .and was in Mr D. Malcolm’s works in ; Levin, after which he bought a wood .and coal business in Shannon, leaving i Levin four years ago. He had beer, living in Foxton and carrying on the business in Shannon. The late Mr Better leaves a wife and family of two sons and two the youngest being fourteen years of age. Young Tremewan was a sen of Mr A. E. Tremewan, of Shannon, of -which town he was a native. He had beer in Mr,Better’s employment for a little •over a week when the fatality occurred. He played football for the Shannon Club last season and was very popular with his club mates.

THE FUNERAL. • The funeral of the late Harry Tremewan took place at the Shannon cemetery yesterday afternoon, the lengthy cortege and the large number of flora!! emblems testifying to the popularity and respect in which the deceased was held. .The Rev. Mr Edmondson, oi! Foxton, conducted the burial service at the graveside. The

pall bearers who were fellow players ' of the Shannon Football Club, were Messrss A. Mason, W. Warman, V.McEwen, A. McEwen, G. Payne "and T. Jude. To-day’s Levin Chronicle says: The sympathy evoked by the tragic and of Sir Joseph Better, one of the two victims of the level-crossing accident at Shannon, was abundantly evident at his funeral, which took place in Levin yesterday afternoon. Leaving the residence of his mother, Mr 3 J. Ret- . ter, sen., in Oxford Street North, the cortege proceeded. ■■• to St. Mary’s Church by way of Queen Street, then returned to pass through Oxford Street • to Mako Mako Road and thence to the Cemetery. It was headed by members of the Masonic and Druids’ Lodges in large numbers, the deceased having belonged to those institutions. Be- *. hind the hoarse followed a great many

cars, containing relatives and friends, amongst the latter being residents of Levin, Foxton and Shannon. The funeral was also attended by a party of Maori mourners. The services at the church and the graveside were conducted by the Rev. W. H. Walton, Vicar of Foxton; the Masonic service at the Cemetery was carried out by representatives of Lodge Te Awahou, Foxton —the Worshipful Master, Bro. E. Sutton, assisted by Bf. Wor. Bro. J. K. Hornblow, P.G.W., and Bros W. 11. Nicholas (chaplain), F. Mason and A. E. Scott;.and the Druids’ service was conducted by the Arch Druid Bro. Melville, of ’Lodge Horowhenua. The pall-bearers were three Masonic brethren and three members of the Horowhenua Lodge of Druids. Many beautiful wreaths accompanied the casket, together with messages expressive of ■the deep sense of loss occasioned by the sudden passing or a life-long and respected resident of the district.

INQUEST OPENED AND AD-

JOURNED

The inquest into the deaths of Joseph C. Better, carrier, of Foxton, and Henry Tremewan, of Shalmpu, wlho were -killed as the result of a motor lorry being struck by the south-bound Main Trunk express, at the Vanc-e St. crossing, Shannon, on Saturday morning, was opened before Mr A. Fraser, District Coroner, on Sunday, at Shannon.

Mr Bert Holdisworth, residing at Nathan Terrace, Shannon, .stated that he was standing in the window of his house watching the Auckland express pass through Shannon, when he noticed the lorry coming round the corner from the station yards to the* Vance Street railway crossing. The driver of the express sounded the whistle. The lorry was then about a chain and ahalf from the crossing. The engine driver gave a longer whistle than usual, and the estimated speed of the train was between 25 to 30 miles per hour. From where he was ’ standing, the lorry appeared to be pulling up, but apparently carried on its way. The train struck the lorry on the offside, just behind the cab, lifting it off the ground, and slinging it completely round, the front wheels coming to rest in the cattle stop on the left hand side of the'line. The train pulled up in a length and a-half. Witness went on to the scene of the accident and on arrival looked for Mr Better. Noticing a pair of boots sticking up in the air, he climbed over the bonnet of the lorry and discovered Mr Tremewan lying in between the mudguard and tho. bonnet, with his head doubled up unde” the body. He lifted, him on "to the bonnet of the lorry and found he had serious injuries to the throat. He was unconscious. He then went down the line and found Mr Better, dead, about a chain away, after which, he notified Constable Blaekie and assisted to remove the body of Mr Better. ' Hugh Blaekie, constable in charge of the Shannon Police station, stated that on his arrival at the. Vance Street crossing, he found the lorry on the eastern (side of the line, the front wheels in the cattle stop. The railway officials were conveying the body of Mr Tremewan on a stretcher towards the guard’s-van-of the express. He saw Mr Better’s body on the side of the railway line about a chain from the cattle stop. The lorry and load of furniture were badly He then removed the body of Mr Better to his residence in Vance Street. On the arrival of the 11.15 a.m. train from Levin, he took charge of the body ot Mr H. E. Tremewan and conveyed it. to hi 3 parents’ residence, where on examination he found deceased had his neck broken, besides numerous other injuries. Witness knew both the deceased well, and stated that they were both careful drivers, but he had been unable to ascertain who was driving the lorry. •’ Mr McGonagle, inspector of railways, 'then applied for an adjournment until Wednesday, April 24, when the railway men concerned would be in. attendance. The application was granted.