TRAM FATALITY AT ONEHUNGA

Taranaki Daily News, 28 May 1917, Page 4

TRAM FATALITY AT ONEHUNGA

DRIVERLESS CAS SUNS DOWN DAS*BSI>TOIOaSBAint. A LADY KILLED, SWERAL INJURED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A tram accident occurred at Onehunga on Saturday evening, a widow, Mrs. Annie Elizabeth Birch, $4 years Of age, dying from shock, and six others being seriously injured, one of them dangerously, besides numerous minor casualties. The tram, which was bound from the city to Onehunga with 50 pasengeri, had reached the Selwyn Street Stop, situated in Trafalgar Street, about 800 yards from a sharp curve into Queen Street, Onehunga, and at top of an incline. Motorman Sydney- Colquhoun started the car, and, as he did so, leaned out 'to see whether all tie passengers had entered, and he overbalanced and fell on the roadway unobserved, as the front door of the car was shut and the conductor inside collecting fares. The car, now uncontrolled, gained momentum, ran down the slope, left the teach at the curve and dashed into a bank, 16 yards ahead, composed of rock. The body of the car was shifted off the bogies for some distance, the latter feeing twisted, several windows broken, and the two front platforms telescoped. ■ Passengers were unaware of wnat wae happening till the crash came, and then a scene of great confusion ensued, pas. sengers being thrown in all directions. I Rescuers speedily arrived with lights and remedies, and first rendered by three doctors and residents. ■ Mrs. birch died in a nearby bouse half an flour inter. She leaves five children, of whom Laura, aged 8, wartaken, to the hospital suffering from a broken thigh) and then wero also taken to the hospital Gladys Rhodes, aged 14, fracture of base of skull, and whose condition ii oritical; Mrs. Ann Lockwood, aged 40, general bruising-, Arnold (Sedge, aged 20, lacerated left ankle. It is estimated that over -20 others sustained minor injuries " ' "I'll 1 * 1 ! ~ %i