THE HAWERA ACCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1918, Page 4

THE HAWERA ACCIDENT.

FURTHER DETAILS The Hawera Star, reporting the accident to Captain MeDiarmid, of the. New Zealand Medical Corps, and formerly of New Plymouth, anil his mother, Mrs. MeDiarmid, states: They were motoring along the South road in the direction of Mokoia, when the car was struck by the 3.45 afternoon Hawera-Wanganui train. Within a few yards of the crossing Captain MeDiarmid noticed the train approaching, but before he could Btop tha ear it was struck by the engine in the ■middle of the running board, and carried several yards along the railway line. Captain and Mrs. MeDiarmid were thrown out of the car, and Captain MeDiarmid luckily espaped injury, but Mrs. MeDiarmid was rendered unconscious. 'Drs. Sloan and MeDiarmid were summoned, aßd had the sufferer removed to the Marinoto Private Hospital at Nolantown.

It is stated tbat the engine driver blew tlie whistle in the ordinary way when Hearing the crossing. After the driver had whistled he observed the ear approaching, and, keeping his lmnd on the whistle lever, gave the warning again, at the same time applying the brakes, and though he pulled up within a short distance, the collision occurred.

Captain McDiarmid, who was travelling at a moderate pace, states that he did not hear the engine whistle. . He docs not attribute any blame to the engine driver, who, he considers, did all that was possible to avoid the accident. The motor car was badly damaged, the upper portion especially, though the engine appears to have escaped. The front portion of the railway locomotive was also somewhat damaged. The crossing is a bad one, and soma time ago the suggestion was made that an overhead bridge should be erected there. This was not done, but the view of the line w as somewhat improved by the cutting away of a portion of thie bank,