RAILWAY BUNGLING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10256, 7 June 1911, Page 5

RAILWAY BUNGLING.

A DISGRACEFUL INCIDENT. CORPSE SHUNTED OFF TO MAKE ROOM FOR HORSE BOXES. A disgraceful exhibition of railway bungling, which' resulted in considerable pain and much annoyance, occurred on the Palmerston to Masterton section of railway on Tuesday. It appears that the remains of the late Mr William Blinkliorne were being brought to Masterton from Wanganui for interment in the local Cemetery. They were .placed in a mortuary van and accompanied by Mr Alonzo Blinkliorne, a son of the deceased. When Mr Blinkliorne reached Eketahuna, he discovered: that the van containing the remains was not attached to the train. Immediate enquiries were made, aaid it Avas discovered. that the mortuary van had been shunted off at WoodvilK and some horse 'boxes taken on. A large number of relatives, members of Friendly Societies, and others had assembled at the Masterton. railway station in answer to the advertisement concerning the funeral, and their pain and annoyance may be imagined when it was discovered that the body had not arrived. The mortuary van was attached to the evening train, and reached Masterton at 10 o'clock last night. The funeral has, in consequence, been postponed until to-morrow afternoon.

This is not t4ie first occasion upon which a bungle of this sort has occurred on the Masterton line. Some months ago the corpse' of the laf'e Mr F. W. Parker was similarly treated when being brought down from Napier, and only a 'week or two back the remains of the late Mrs Adams, of Carterton, were delayed in transit.