Tram and Milk-Van

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 1

Tram and Milk-Van

Head-on Collision Van Smashed To Pieces Two Women and One Man Injured

ONE of the worst collisions in the history of the tram service in Napier occurred last night when a milk-van containing five persons ran head on into a tram car. The van was smashed to pieces and three people injured.

Press Association. NAPIER, To-day. milkvan containing five occupants and a tramear occurred in front of the Hasting Street School about ; 10.30 last night, as the result of which j two women were seriously injured and j taken to the Napier Hospital. Those ■ injured are Annie Peterson, aged 18 | years, fracture of the skull, condition | critical; Mrs. Matilda Hansen, head i injuries, cuts and abrasions, condition j serious; Eric Peterson, cuts and abra- ; sions, condition not serious. The other occupants, Albert Hansen, husband of the injured lady, and F. W. Coker, although considerably j shaken, were able to proceed.to their j homes. Mr. Hansen is a dairyman of Mee-; anee and it is understood that Eric and Annie Peterson are his step- ! children.

j It appears the van was proceeding along the tram lines and apparently the driver failed to perceive the approaching tram and the two met with a terrific impact, the noise of which , was heard hundreds of yards away The van was dragged about a chain along the road and smashed beyond recognition, while debris and blood was strewn all over the road. i Miss Peterson was discovered lying • in the gutter under the veranda of a : shop on the corner, having evidently | been hurled there by the force of the ! impact. Mrs. Hansen and Peterson were ; found on the road near the mangled j van. j It is some years since such a shockj ing accident occurred in Napier and the scene was the centre of attraction j for a large crowd returning from the picture theatres and boxing contests.