DISTRESSING ACCIDENT TO A PLEASURE PARTY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1279, 18 December 1884, Page 3

DISTRESSING ACCIDENT TO A PLEASURE PARTY.

(Lyttelton Time 9.) A shocking accident occurred at Rangiora last Tuesday morning, by which two persons lost their lives and ten others were more or less injured. The details of the occurrenca are aa follows ;—A pleasure party, consisting of Mr and Mrs Donald M'Kay, Misses H. and M. Stapleforth, A. and M. Morrall, J. McCracken and J. Keir, and Messrs D. D. Keir, C. I. Jennings, and Thomas Keir, all young people, were on the way to the Waikuku seabeach in a covered van, driven by a man named John Hughey. When within a few yards of the High street railway crossing Hughey observed the morning traiu from Christchurch close upon him, and thinking there was no time to pull up his horses gave them a cut with the whip to get them over the Hoe, Th,e engine was, however, too quiok for the horses, and crashed into the side of the van close to the front wheels, dashing it away from the horses —which escaped with but little injury—on to the cattle trap, the occupants of the vehicle being thrown in all directions. A crowd soon collected, and the more badly hurt of the sufferers were quickly conveyed into adjacent houses or home, where they received prompt attention from Drs Downs, Williams and Gordon. Mr D. N. Keir and Miss Matgaret Morrall, who were sitting at the back of the van, must have been thrown under the wheels of the train, their injuries being so dreadful that they expired very shortly after they were picked up. Thomas Keir, who was riding on the step, sustained a broken arm and a cut on the head; John Hughey, severe wounds on the head ; Mr and Mrs M'K;iy each had some ribs broken ; Miss. Jane Keir, a bad cut on the head, and the rest were more or loss bruised and shaken. The van was completely wrecked, and the wonder is that more of the party were not killed or more seriounly injured. The front carriage was considerably the iron stanchion on, the platform being broken away a»d several of the windows smashed, but none of the occupants were injured. No blame is attachable to the engine. driver, ae he whistled as usual on approaching; the crossing, and, on observing the danger, applied the brakes so promptly as to pull up the train within a few yards of the accident. The driver of the van, by all accounts, was not looking in the direction of the crossing, and the crossing-keeper failed to attract his attention until it was too late, and the van being covered prevented the '6ccrtpants from seeing the train I . v ' 1!l ' ' ]\J[r David Keir, the'dieoensed, was <i prdiiiiainfe young I 'inari, just entering'his

twenty-first year, and was beloved by his most immediate friends and highly respected bv all who kn«w him. He was the eldest son of Mr T. Keir, of the well known firm of Boyd and Keir, builders. Miss Margaret Morrall was the youngest daughter of Mr B. Morrall, of Eangiora, and was in her fifteenth year. She was also much beloved by her companions and friends, and will be sadly missed. Thomas Keir is a pupil teacher in the Rangiora Borough School, and was to have gone up for examination yesterday. It was not his intention to have gone the whole way with the party, but to walk back to study during the day. The occurrence cast quite a gloom over Rangiora, and the deepest sympathy is felt for the parents so suddenly bereaved of their children. Several organised pleasure parties were abandoned when the news of the accident was learned.

A telegram was received in the course of the day in B-angiora, from the Hon. F. Richaidson, saying "Government have heard with regret of the serious fatal accident which occurred this morning. Instructions have been given that every attention shall be paid to the unfortunate sufferers,; and hope those injured are progressing satisfactorily." A telegram dated 8 p.m. says :—" By the latest accounts, Hughey and M'Kay were in a very precarious state, the latter having injuries to the back of a serious nature, in addition to the broken ribs. The other sufferers are doing as well as can be expected."